Last One Standing
by Epsilon Scorpii
Summary: When Alex joins SAS camp once more as an undercover spy for SCORPIA he never thought he would regret his decision. But when he does, it's too late to back out of it. Caught between guilt, he has to decide, should he choose to betray his own friends or sacrifice his own life?
1. Chapter 1: Return

What if SCORPIA's first mission for Alex was to be a spy in M16? Cub/K-Unit

**¬ Last One Standing ¬  
><strong>_Chapter One:  
>Return<em>

_DISCLAIMER: I_ own nothing of Anthony Horrowitz's characters. Here's just an ordinary 14 year old girl wishing she does. Hope you enjoy the story!

* * *

><p>How long had it been? Five months? Six? He wasn't sure. Since he had started this insanity. Since he had betrayed the only person that had ever cared for him- Jack.<p>

Since that moment he had nodded his head, accepted the offer and sealed the deal; he had sealed in his own fate as well. There was his black and white path laid before him, filled with nothing but hate and fear. And those people that tried to love and care for him just got hurt.

There was once, he had to go through another one of their mental training lessons. He had been given a piece of paper and a pencil, then was asked to draw or describe his ex- guardian, Jack Starbright, as detailed as he could. He remembered feeling puzzled, and it turned into a chilling cold as he racked his brain, trying to remember her face, her favorite colors, her mannerisms, and found nothing.

_Nothing._

For the past fourteen years, fourteen! He just let her slip through his fingers.

He couldn't even remember much of her anymore. There was a vague feeling of warmth as he called upon the details of her red hair and irritated expression, yet as he focused on her face, the memory of her simply slipped out of his grasps. His brain seemed to completely fail him; he just stared blankly at the paper, and wrote down 'red hair'. When asked about her eye color, he strained his memory to remember, and when he found nothing, gave an excuse of never paying attention to her eyes before.

_What was her favorite food?_

Never bothered to ask.

_Any particulalar mannerisms?_

She used to sing very loudly. Or was it whistling?

His teacher had told him it was nothing to be embarassed about; praised him even, for achieving such a great success.

"Few can forget the people they love," he had said to Alex, his pride unmistakable. "Even after intensive training. Not even Miss Rothman, as you know. That is why you are remarkable, Rider."

Praises were rarely given, and normally Alex would have found a small twinge of pride if he were to receive it; but this time, it only served to make him guilty, and for the first time since he accepted SCORPIA's offer, he began to regret his decision.

Few weeks after that, he had been declared dead; his supposed body was found laid on the doorstep of the M16 Headquarters as a warning. It was bloody and multiliated beyong recognization, and of course Alex had supplied the blood sample. It didn't hurt that SCORPIA had bribed the team of doctors sent to investigate on that matter.

Not long after, his funeral followed; and despite the many dangers- he knew he shouldn't have done it- he went to attend his own funeral. He was surpised by the number of students from Brookland who turned up. It felt weird attending his own funeral. When Tom went forwards, his face teary yet determined as he stuttered a 'thank you for being my friend', he had to turn to hide his face; but when Jack finally stumbled up, last, he turned and walked away, breaking into a run soon after that.

The only two people that cared for him in the world. All hurt. Because of him. Even for revenge, was it the right path for him to take?

Usually, that single twinge of doubt could be soothed by a fight; shooting lessons, even- but that night, nightmares of his past plagued him again, and Alex had never felt weaker in his life.

Today was it; that day he'd step out of his shell and rewrite history. The day to prove what he was capable of, get the revenge he craved for.

Alex Rider was coming back.

* * *

><p><em>Liverpool Street; M16 Headquarters<em>

"... this is not the issue!" a woman's voice was saying sternly.

"Yes it is," insisted another man irritably. "I demand the right to know why SCORPIA just decided to call off the bloody _Invisible Sword _business six months ago! How do you know that they aren't just toying with our minds, let down our guard then strike?"

"I told you, we made a deal with them," replied Mrs. Jones with ill concealed patience.

"There is no such thing as a deal that can put off SCORPIA!" declared the man firmly. "They care much for reputation and money, and-"

"How we managed it is not your concern," said Mrs. Jones coldly. "If you have not other questions, you may leave."

The man stood up in a huff and made a great display of brushing down his coat before he stalked out of the door and slammed it shut.

"I hope that was the last of him," remarked a dry voice at the doorway.

Blunt did not even look up. "Wolf," he said. "Come in."

Wolf, Captain of the K- Unit team strode briskly into Blunt's office and sat down. "You sent for me, Mr. Blunt?" he asked.

"Yes," replied Mrs. Jones instead as she pushed her papers aside. "We have a problem we hope you can help us solve. You see, during SCORPIA's attack, G and J unit were sent in to fight the SCORPIA soldiers. However, despite all the money and training we invested, they never stood 10 seconds, much less a chance. As a result, we lost more than half our people, and we are in urgent need of more _competent _soldiers."

Wolf nodded. "Understandable."

"Mr. Crawley has informed me of all the units' training and your unit has achieved the most remarkable results. That is why we'd like you to handpick a few more competent members and train them. We have arranged a few interviewing sessions scheduled a week from now."

"What?" blustered Wolf. "Handpick, Mrs. Jones?"

"Yes, Wolf," said Mrs. Jones. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"What difference would that make?" muttered Wolf darkly, mentally preparing himself for the worst.

"You are going to prepare for the aural interview as well as the physical tests," reminded Mrs. Jones. "Remember, your judge must be fair and just at all times."

"Yes, yes," muttered Wolf. Already, he could tell how much trouble lay in store. He couldn't have been more right.

* * *

><p><em>Aural Interview; A Week Later<em>

However much Wolf had prepared himself for the interview, he still couldn't rein in his temper. The first man that strode in for the interview had already sent his blood boiling.

He was a twenty- five year old man, and had started applying to become an SAS soldier since three years back, but never got the position as he was a complete novice at martial arts. Wolf thought the man was a complete idiot. It wasn't easy to pass the test; and the man certainly had a lot of guts to apply for the position when he didn't even know how to _fight._

This time, Josh Abrams, the first lucky one to meet Wolf, strode in confidently, wearing white robes and a green belt. He smiled proudly at Wolf, causing the the K- Unit captain to scowl deeply. Worse still, he decided to walk in with his arms folded. He smirked deeply and announced loudly, "I'm here to serve the country! Accept my fiery spirit, so we can carry out our noble deeds side-by- side as the best of brothers!"

He looked hopefully at Wolf for agreement or confirmation, but he was greatly disappointed.

"What the hell was that baloney?" Wolf shot at him before he could stop himself. "And what do you think you are wearing?"

"This is my _Taekwando _uniform," said the man arrogantly. "I'm a green belt now."

Wolf raised an eyebrow in his direction. "Do you have more _advanced _training in other forms of martial arts?"

The man's proud smile vanished, to be replaced by an irritated frown. "No. Why, just how many forms of blo-"

"Can you stand in a one- to- one combat, then?" asked Wolf, taking deep breaths to calm himself.

The man thought to himself for a moment before nodding. "Of course, if my opponent is also a green belt, I suppose I could beat him. I'm good, you know," he said, with a lack of modesty.

Wolf rolled his eyes. "Do you have other specialized training, besides that? Like archery, sword- fighting, or- "

"Yes!" exclaimed Abrams, flexing his barely existent muscles. "I passed my piano diploma course with a distinction. The certificates are all here." He produced a large sheaf of paper.

"No, I do not think that is necessary," began Wolf, but Josh pushed the papers into this hands. "This is my collection- every single prize, award and competition I ever entered. Please do take a look."

'This is utterly ridiculous,' thought Wolf, staring at a certificate dated twenty years ago, awarding Josh Abrams a bronze medal for Kidlands Academy's Spelling Bee Competition. Trying to keep Mrs. Jones advice in his mind- 'Keep a civil tongue in you during the interview, Wolf- rudeness is not tolerated', Wolf inhaled deeply and grimaced at Josh Abrams.

"Your _fiery spirit _is much appreciated, but I'm sorry, but you just do not qualify as an SAS soldier. Come back after you have at _least _risen to a red belt _Taekwando _member, and we may reconsider you." Wolf waved his hand in dismissal.

The man's face contorted with rage. He inhaled a lot of air and screamed a single sound as he lurched forwards- "NO!"

Wolf smirked. "Yes." He pressed a red button, and the wall behind him immediately parted to reveal a secret room. A highly amused Snake and Eagle stepped forwards and grabbed Josh Abrams' arms in an iron grip, then steered him towards the door.

Wolf leaned back and smiled to himself. No sooner than that, another man strode in. He had blonde hair and piercing blue eyes which seemed to bore into him. And much to Wolf's irritation, he was also wearing a self- satisfied smirk.

"What now?" Wolf finally snapped.

The man's smirk deepened. "I must remind you, the interviewer must keep a civil tongue in his head at all times."

Wolf nearly burst a vein. Nearly. Instead, he inhaled a large amount of air again to cool himself. Then he looked up questioningly at the man.

"How old are you?" he asked, his surprise genuine.

The man cocked an eyebrow in his direction, then pointed to the paper Wolf was holding. Trying hard not to blush, Wolf cleared his throat to cover up his embarassment.

"Right- you are Alexei Gerald, twenty years old?"

Alexei cocked his head to one side in acknowledgement.

"Are you advanced in other forms of martial arts besides-...," Wolf broke off as he read '_karate dan' _in the form. "Oh. Do you have other specialized training, besides what is written in the form?"

"Qualified diver, climber, parachuter, BASE jumper, archer, swimmer and acrobat," said Alexei, listing them off his fingers with an evident smirk playing on his lips. "Need any more?"

Wolf's eyebrows shot higher another notch at every single thing Alexei listed.

"Proof?" asked Wolf irritably, stretching out his hand.

Alexei's smirk deepened. "I thought those weren't necessary?"

Alexei was staring at the large sheaf of papers in his hand. Wolf cursed. They were Josh Abram's stack of accumulated certificates.

"Certificates can be forged easily, Captain," said Alexei, his gaze taunting. "Anyway, that's what M16 is about, isn't it? Finding out the truth? You can go investigate about my background, find the proof yourself."

"It's obvious you aren't here for the interview," said Wolf, putting away Alexei's paper.

"You're right, I'm not," replied Alexei, his gaze penetrating as ever.

"Then why be here?" spluttered Wolf.

"Send my regards to Mr. Blunt," said Alexei, walking towards the door. "And tell him, the horse is back for his rider."

Alexei left, leaving Wolf sitting at his desk, a complete blank in his mind. It was only after some time when he managed to shout half- heartedly at the empty doorway- "Claptrap! Twaddle! Baloney!" but no one was there to hear him, except a highly amused Eagle.

* * *

><p>"So how did the interview go?" asked Mrs. Jones as soon as Wolf seated himself, still rubbing his throbbing his head.<p>

"It was a complete disaster," said Wolf, staring into space as he took in more deep breaths.

"Was there a problem?" asked Mrs. Jones, still rifling through her papers.

_"Of _course there was a problem!" fumed Wolf, striding about blindly in the office. "Never in my entire life have I been treated so- "

"As you may know, I am quite busy Wolf, so if you would get to the point, it would be greatly appreciated," said Mrs. Jones, cutting across his rant.

"Right. Sorry." Wolf added grudgingly. "The first guy was a complete idiot, and the second guy came in to belittle me. I asked him if he came for the interview at all, and he said no, he was just here to send his regards to Mr. Blunt."

Mrs. Jones' eyebrows snapped together. "What?"

"I thought it was weird, because he wasn't supposed to know that- but that's what he said," said Wolf.

"Did he say anything else about Mr. Blunt?" Mrs. Jones asked sharply.

"Well, I don't rightly remember with the horse and rider baloney..." started Wolf, but Mrs. Jones put down her pen and looked at him sternly in the eye.

"What was his name?"

"Alexei Gerald," replied Wolf, who had no problem remembering the infrutiating guy's name. "Twenty years old, although his voice didn't seem to break yet."

Mrs. Jones frowned.

"He told me to tell Mr. Blunt something about a horse is back for his rider," growled Wolf. "Some lame bit of poetry. He said he was a qualified diver, BASE jumper, acrobat and what not, but when asked for qualifications, he told me to find out myself. Said it was what M16 did, anyway."

But Mrs. Jones wasn't listening. "That's not possible," was all she said, before turning to leave the office. Before Wolf could actually come to the main point of telling her that only six out of thirty eight men had qualified for the physical test, Mrs. Jones was already out through the door.

Which left Wolf feeling all the more humiliated and annoyed than before.

* * *

><p><strong>The following week; M16 Headquarters- Mr. Blunt's office: 8.00 a.m.<strong>

"All the preparations are ready. We're going to officially introduce the six new members. Three of them are going to J Unit, the other three to L Unit."

Wolf finished his report and looked up.

"Seven new members," corrected Mrs. Jones, casting a severe eye on him. "We made a new addition three weeks ago. You should have at least read the documents, Wolf, soldier or not."

Wolf consulted the list again, and found the six members he had hand- picked. However, the next name on his list sent his stomach plummeting with dread.

"No! Not that Alexei guy!" exclaimed Wolf. His expression would have been very comical, if the two other people sitting in the office hadn't been totally humourless. Eagle, who was standing by Wolf's side, had to bite back a laugh.

"It gets worse," he muttered, just loud enough for Wolf to hear.

Wolf traced a finger down the line, and found Alexei Gerald assigned to K Unit.

"I- I cannot accept this... I mean, this is utterly ridiculous! That guy is nothing but a peacock. He isn't even mature enough! I suspect he's some dare devil kind of kid who thinks he can rule the world, so he faked his age and came striding in for the interview."

"We have checked his background, as he suggested us to, and we find him perfectly suitable," said Mrs. Jones, the barest hint of a twinkle in her black eyes.

"No he is not," shot back Wolf immediately. "Oh come on, just how dumb can M16 get?"

"It is our decision to make," said Mrs. Jones decidedly, her tone suddenly more severe. "And I would add that you'd better keep a civil tongue in your head, especially towards your seniors, or I'll be forced to terminate your badge and have Alexei as Captain instead."

"Not going to happen," growled Wolf, who always had little tact. It didn't help that he could never control his tongue before the words fell from it.

Mrs. Jones raised her eyebrows. "Alright then, it shall be settled. Alexei Gerald will take over-"

"No, I'm still his Captain!" said Wolf loudly, but hurriedly. "I- apologise."

"Good to know you acknowledge him as your junior now," said Mrs. Jones pleasantly. "I'm sure we need not worry more. You may leave. Your hard work these days is appreciated."

Wolf nearly snorted. Hard work was an understatement. Before he could say anything else, however, Eagle had clamped his hand tightly on his elbow and steered him forcefully to the door.

Which was a wrong decision to make, as it turned out- for Alexei Gerald was standing in the doorway. He nodded respectfully in Wolf and Eagle's direction, but it was clear that he was smirking.

"As you probably remember, I'm Alexei Gerald," said Alexei, extending a hand to Wolf. "I received the letter only three days ago. Honoured to be assigned to your unit."

Wolf shot him a glowering look. Eagle's behaviour towards Alexei was also pretty cold, but at least he responded. "This is our K Unit Captain, Wolf. I'm Eagle."

Alexei smiled a smile that never reached his eyes. "Good to meet you too, Captain."

"We don't go on first name basis," continued Eagle, still eyeing Alexei coldly. "Your Unit name, or the name you will be known as for the rest of your career will be decided by Wolf."

"You'll be Horse!" burst Wolf fiercely, as though daring Alexei to object. "What with your horse and rider baloney, I think 'Horse' will suit you perfectly. What do you think?" he sneered.

"Wow, that was simply beautiful!" exclaimed Alexei, his sarcarsm barely contained. "You really have a good taste for that kind of thing. You write poetry?"

"No!" yelled Wolf. "No, I don't write trash. And since I'm already Captain over you, although the formal introduction ceremony is still a day's time away, you should- no, you will treat me with great respect, or you will be suspended before you even start your career. Get me?"

"Yes sir," said Alexei, bowing slightly. He kept his head lowered as they passed him by. When he looked up again, they were already gone.

Round the corner, Wolf held out a hand, stopping Eagle.

"Promise me one thing," he said, a peculiar glint in his eye. "Make that bastard's life hell."

Eagle grinned. "That's my speciality."

**A/N: What do you think of chapter one? It's not as long as I hoped it would be, but I thought the next scene at camp would only be more appropriate in the next chapter. I promise it'll be longer.**

**Please drop me a thought!**

**Thanks for reading; take care,  
>Epsilon Scorpii<strong>


	2. Chapter 2: Crossing the Bridge

**¬Last One Standing¬  
><strong>_Chapter Two:  
>Crossing The Bridge<br>_

_DISCLAIMER: _I own nothing of Anthony Horrowitz's characters. Here's just an ordinary 14 year old girl wishing she does. Hope you enjoy the story!

And thanks so much for all your support!

P.S.: Ah, so I selected the 'French' language button. Thanks for kindly enlightening me. :D

* * *

><p>"Come on, Wolf. It's time."<p>

Wolf tried a few more expressions in the mirror. Eagle snickered behind his back, and Snake groaned out loud.

"Time to get going, Captain," reminded Fox, waving a hand in front of Wolf for attention. "You'll make a worse impression if you're late for the ceremony."

Wolf shot them a glare before ruffling his hair up for the cool effect. But it only served to make him look as though he had just woken up and forgotten to brush his hair. Everyone was wise enough not to point out that fact; if they did, they would probably be late by an hour.

They sat in their usual jeep, with Fox at the driving wheel, while the others sat at the back and discussed Wolf's most recent project- making Alexei's life hell at camp. They were departing for Brecon Beacons _again _directly after the ceremony, and this time Alexei would be among them. The four of them had been together in K- Unit since three years back; they didn't take kindly to someone butting into their group. At least, that was how Wolf phrased his reasons, besides the 'Alexei the arrogant git of a horse', whatever that meant.

They were just on time as they reached the site. They were quickly ushered inside. Wolf was hurriedly dragged up stage, much to his bewilderment.

"...and we have the last new member of the SAS soldiers- Alexei Gerald, assigned to K- Unit."

A badge and a certificate was pressed into Wolf's hand, and scowling, he saw the beautiful golden badge with the words 'Alexei Gerald' engraved into it. That man certainly did not deserve it.

Alexei came walking up the stage, and much to Wolf's annoyance, the man just looked perfectly... cool. And calm. He didn't need to do much; he was dressed in his new SAS soldier uniform; his haid untended, yet not messy- unlike him, Wolf, who had spent ten minutes in front of the mirror.

Feeling rather self- conscious, Wolf scowl became more pronounced. As Alexei nered him, Wolf shoved the badge into Alexei's hand.

"I don't think you deserve it, Gerald," he hissed dangerously in Alexei's ear. "To me you're just a useless brat who has no manners whatsoever."

"Horse," corrected Alexei, as he received his badge with a cool smile.

"What?" snapped Wolf.

"It's Horse to you from now on," said Alexei. He nodded his head once in Wolf's direction, that turned down to walk down the stage, applause ringing in their ears.

* * *

><p>Eagle had a few nasty surprises set up for their prior torture object even before the ceremony ended. Now, they just needed to get Alexei to the right spot, and their torture could start.<p>

It was going to be a relatively simple process to get Alexei to Brecon Beacons; after all, he was already in their unit, and needed his training.

After the ceremony, the three units gathered together, and was given their usual debriefing from the Sergeant. After that, J and L Unit went into their respective jeeps to drive over to the site.

The rest of K- Unit shared a wink before boarding the jeep. They filed in quickly, and once Eagle was behind the wheel, he pressed the button, and the door hissed to a shut.

Malicious joy soared in him before he noticed, at the last minute, Alexei had stuck his foot in. He jerked his arm in and pressed the emergency 'open' button. The door opened again.

Alexei slipped in without a word, then shut the door behind him. The entire K Unit had fell silent. Eagle glared at Alexei before jerking the jeep to a start, as though it had somehow insulted his mother. Alexei had to stagger towards the back to find a seat.

There _was _an empty seat beside Fox, but as Wolf saw him approaching, he quickly dumped his backpack onto the seat, then looked casually out of the window.

"Can I sit here?" Alexei asked in general, but no one took any notice of him, except Fox who cast him an apprehensive glance.

Alexei shrugged off his heavy backpack, then sat beside Wolf's backpack on the same seat.

"Who said you could sit there?" thundered Wolf as soon as Alexei lowered himself.

"You never said I couldn't, Captain," replied Alexei respectfully, though his eyes were clearly taunting the captain.

"Get off."

"Pardon?"

Too irritated for words, Wolf stood up. "Snake, lend me a hand."

"What-"

Before Alexei could say anything, Wolf and Snake had each grabbed him by the hand and threw him off the seat. Eagle happened to be looking back at the scene behind him, and as the jeep coursed down the drive, Eagle failed to notice the road bumper. The jeep hit it with full force before Eagle managed to control it.

The impact sent Wolf and Snake sprawling backwards into their seat, but Alexei didn't fare so well. He slid on the floor to the back of the jeep then hit his head on the steel railings with full force.

Eagle quickly steered the vehicle back to the middle of the road.

"For goodness' sake, drive properly will you!" yelled Wolf, rubbing his elbow ruefully.

Fox looked back on where Alexei's crumpled form lay.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly, despite Wolf and Snake's glares.

Alexei looked up. A trickle of blood ran down his forehead, but he smiled, though as usual, it never reached his cold eyes. "Yeah, thanks."

Wolf pushed Fox roughly out of the way. "Shove your nose where it belongs, Foxy," he snarled, then smirked at Alexei, who returned his gaze evenly.

He turned his back on Alexei, careful to step on Alexei's backpack as he returned to his seat.

A soft laugh, barely audible above the roar of engine reached Wolf's ears.

"K-Unit," Alexei whispered. "I'd forgotten."

* * *

><p>The jeep finally came to halt at the sandy dunes of Brecon Beacons during noon. Alexei had curled himself into a ball at the back of the jeep for the entire trip, and his legs felt quite sore.<p>

As the last of K Unit descended the steps, Alexei quickly picked up his backpack and hurried towards the door, remembering all too well the consequences of being late. Unfortunately, luck wasn't on his side. No sooner than when his foot had contacted with the ground, the Sergeant's purple face barred Alexei's way forwards.

"YOU!" he bellowed. "The new one, aren't you?"

"Yes sir," replied Alexei.

"Wolf, give me the brat's unit name!" he called, snapping his fingers.

"Horse, sir," said Wolf, barely hiding his smile.

A bemused smile lighted the Sergeant's face as he looked Alexei up and down. He caught sight of the dried blood and sighed dramatically.

"You accident prone, are you? Getting hurt on a _jeep_. Let's see you try the 100 mile bridge we just built. You'll probably be smashed to pieces. We'll find out soon enough."

Wolf's smile disappeared as quickly as a stone falling into the sea. "Find out soon enough?" he repeated.

"Yes, Wolf, that is what I said. You're going to run the 100 mile wooden bridge today. Fifteen minutes to fresh up yourselves, then you ain't going to eat anything till you finish the climb. See you at dinner, or maybe not."

The Sergeant sent Alexei one last glare before turning his back on all of them and jogging away to terrorize the next group of soldiers.

* * *

><p>Throughout lunch, nobody noticed Wolf's sudden change in demeanor. He shouted a lot less, didn't issue any orders except 'shut up' and spoke less. It seemed as though nobody ever knew of his only weakness, except Alexei who was trying to hide that fact.<p>

They passed around the bread they had been given, and Alexei was of course, left out. He didn't seem surprised at all by that fact- he just sat himself apart from the group and stared into space. Wolf declined his portion of Alexei's share, so Snake devoured it instead. When they moved to leave, Fox lingered behind to pull Alexei up to his feet.

Alexei looked up, surprised, then noticed the sudden warmth that had spread through his sleeve.

"Get going," was all Fox said before leaving.

Alex reached into his sleeve and brought out a small bread stick. Although he wasn't hungry, and the bread stick only served to make his sleeve sticky with sugar, he was grateful for Fox's tiny bit of compassion.

* * *

><p>"Gather round now. On the count of three, two, one- START!"<p>

Alexei winced as the shrill whistle sounded, and the men jogged off, although their speed suggested that they were racing. Resigning himself to his fate, Alexei started his slow jog towards the bridge, conserving his energy for later. Briefly he wondered how Wolf would handle it, but he supposed the SAS soldier would have overcame his fear of heights by now. After all, hadn't he jumped off the helicopter with the parachute two years back?

With his help, Alexei reminded himself. He was the one who had pushed the Captain off the helicopter.

When the finally rounded the corner, none of the K-Unit members were seen anymore. They were miles ahead of him for sure.

Still he jogged on, concentrating on the lush greenery around him. He recalled being in this part of the forest before; but somehow the memory seemed thousands of years away.

He was soon panting and out of breath, after climbing steep climbs and running across flat lands. He checked his wrist watch. Only fifty minutes had passed. Surely not?

Alexei forced his feet forwards; he had accomplished worse things than this. It was then when he saw it- the new one-way bridge M16 had built to train their soldiers. It was a long piece of wooden plank that stretched on for miles and miles to the other side. If you looked down, the abyss was purposely dug so that it would be deeper and filled with nastier surprises besides scorpions.

He saw a few distinct figures crossing the bridge and hastened his pace. It was when he was merely five metres away when he saw Wolf gingerly stepping on the bridge then jumping back as though shocked, then repeating the move again and again until it was pretty comical.

He walked up noiselessly behind Wolf, then spoke "Hand me your backpack."

Wolf spun round, his eyes wide and glaring, though it couldn't quite mask his fears. "WHAT?" he snapped, slightly more hysterical than before.

Alexei ignored him, shrugging off his own backpack, then tying it to a long but strong branch he had chosen.

"What are you doing!" exclaimed Wolf, trying to sound angry more than hopeful.

"We're going on a tight-rope walk," said Alexei, calmly tying his backpack onto the branch.

"What?" spluttered Wolf again.

"I'm the qualified acrobat, remember? Backpack please."

Wolf didn't hand it over, but didn't stop Alexei from pulling it from him either. He watched as Alexei tied both their backpacks to the branch suspiciously.

"Hold on to one end- I'll hold on to the other," said Alexei, still not looking at Wolf. "I'll cross first, and remember don't let go- or you'll send us both plunging down into the abyss."

"What for?" asked Wolf, not snapping for once.

"Just listen to the acrobat," advised Alexei, handing him the pole.

It never occurred to Wolf that he was obeying 'obnoxious Horse Boy's orders- he just grasped the other end of the pole gingerly then tightly. "Okay, I'm ready."

"Don't look down, don't close your eyes," warned Alexei, walking forwards. "Alright, here we go."

Alexei stepped onto the plank first, excruciatingly slowly followed by Wolf, whose face was as pale as a ghost despite his tan.

They progressed slower than snails along the bridge, and with each step the bridge wobbled even more, and Wolf shuddered even more violently. Alexei sighed. Time to go for a little psychological experiment.

"So Wolf," he sneered. "Why are you, as a brilliant soldier and all that, afraid of heights?"

"Mind your tone!" bellowed Wolf, taking a big step forwards; his fear temporarily forgotten, before the bridge wobbled again and he fell silent.

Alexei stayed silent for a moment, wondering how to anger Wolf again. Normally that would have been too easy a feat, but the bridge seemed to have paralysed the soldier; as hot blooded as he was, his fear powered over anger. He needed another insult... fast.

To his utmost surprise, so much he nearly dropped the pole, Wolf spoke again- or muttered an answer in reply to his question.

"Childhood trauma- never ask again. Oh gods," he mumbled, then tugged at the branch end he was holding harder.

"Don't," warned Alexei. "So, let's talk about your childhood trauma. Did your family die in that accident?"

Wolf's anger never penetrated his fear, but it consumed part of it nevertheless. "You ridiculous horse!" he exclaimed. "You're such an idiot. Giving me this baloney."

Alexei sighed dramatically. "I expected more creative insults. I'm disappointed in you, Wolf."

He quickened his steps slightly, and Wolf followed behind, unaware of their gaining speed.

"What for?"

"You used to be a soldier I looked up to," said Alexei slowly as he walked even faster. He had just caught sight of his wristwatch time, and he felt that they both would be still wandering about in the forest if they didn't get back quick by dark. Dinner was out of the question now.

"Used to?" spluttered Wolf.

"The time you helped a fellow comrade back then," replied Alexei. "I changed my view towards you for a while. But it seems that I was wrong- you're still the big bullying, obnoxious and arrogant brat."

Alexei took a few more steps quickly forwards, and Wolf forgot about looking down into the abyss. "_BULLYING BRAT? I_S that how you address your captain?"

"I tell it as it is, Captain," replied Alexei evenly.

"What- what about the time you looked up to me. When was then?" asked Wolf, sounding both angry and curious.

"Last year," replied Alexei.

"I helped a fellow comrade?" scoffed Wolf. "Just because I did that. Oh please, I've did it over twenty times. No need to fall head over heels over me because of that."

"Really," said Alexei. "I don't recall reading other such incidences in your file."

"My file?" shouted Wolf, and Alexei walked faster still. Wolf was now barely registering where he was walking; his face had resumed its normal beetroot colour. "When did you get to read my file!"

"When Mr. Blunt handed it over to me," replied Alexei pleasantly, barely concealing his smirk.

Wolf fell silent; he was taking in deep breaths to calm himself. What he said next was also unexpected.

"So, tell me about that incident. What did I do?"

"If you really did help a fellow comrade in battle before, surely you'd remember it?" said Alexei. "Why ask me?"

Wolf racked his brains. Which incident was it? Last year... he hadn't been on any rescue missions, had he? His whole year had been spent on training... wait, wasn't there the Point Blanc mission? The one Cub got involved in somehow?

"Are you referring to the Point Blanc incident?" he asked, walking so fast to catch up- his speed would have shocked himself.

"Ah, so you do remember."

"Of course I do. Never leave a man behind, that's my motto. And though Cub was only a boy, he still counts."

"So you remember that boy," said Alexei.

"Yes- did you read that from my file too?" said Wolf accusingly.

Alexei shrugged in reply, though he was careful to not to tilt the branch he was holding onto.

"That boy- Cub, he's really remarkable, unlike you," said Wolf, never giving up the chance to poke back at Alexei. "He was very brilliant- and though he was only fourteen, he survived all our training lessons. Honestly I didn't think he'd survive it. Unlike you. And he managed to nick some matches when we couldn't strike a fire. Unlike you, who'd probably be useless in such situations. And there was another time on the helicopter, he- "

Wolf broke off, then cleared his throat.

"Did you treat that brilliant kid as good as you treated me?" Alexei asked.

"No, because that kid was so likeable, unlike you," replied Wolf.

"So what happened to the kid? Is he still training with you?" asked Alexei, who enjoyed knowing that Wolf was feeling rather awkward with all the lies he was spouting.

"No. He died," replied Wolf shortly.

"Unlike me," pointed out Alexei.

"Unfortunately," agreed Wolf.

"You upset about him?"

"Nah. What I had for him was just respect. And even that was only a little. My respect for him diminished when he failed to avoid death in the end."

Alexei snorted. "In that case, you don't respect the dead."

"You could put it that way I suppose," admitted Wolf.

"That means you don't respect yourself?"

"I'm still living perfectly well thank you, so naturally I respect myself a lot. After all, I have defied death for twenty seven years, unlike you."

"Ah. I see," replied Alexei.

They had reached the middle of the bridge now. To Alexei's dismay, he found that they still had three hours to twilight. After the bridge, they still had plenty of hiking to do- and Wolf was definitely faster in that area. He wouldn't dare to hope for the Captain's help. Then he would be left alone in the darkness of the forest.

"We need to hurry up," said Alexei at last, giving up all pretense. "If we don't go faster soon, we're going to be trapped in the forest at night."

"I live in the forest," said Wolf proudly. "I'm among them. No problem. You, Horse, are a different matter."

"Fine," snapped Alexei. "I'll leave you now. I unlike you don't want to be trapped in a forest at night, much less in the middle of a wooden plank bridge when you can't even see your next step forwards."

Alexei picked up his pace, intending to drop the pole there and then- and let Wolf feel his way to the other side by himself- after all, all you needed to do was walk carefully and keep your balance. There was enough space for him to stand- unlike tightropes.

"Hey- cut it out, alright!" said Wolf, his voice panicky. "Fine, fine, we'll go faster if you like."

Alexei considered leaving the man alone by himself, then decided against it. "Fine," he mimicked Wolf with exaggerated patience. "You'd better. Now hurry up."

Wolf mumbled something in reply, then dragged himself forwards with more speed. Alexei took pity on him and walked slightly slower than before.

They didn't say anything else until they had finished three quarters of the bridge. Alexei's arms were screaming from the strain, but Wolf didn't seem to mind- his fear was still focused on the bridge. Once, a cold blast of wind nearly knocked them both down, mainly because Wolf swayed with the wind and dropped the branch. Alexei had to grab the man's jacket and yank him back to safety.

"Just a little bit more to go," muttered Alexei, trying to be encouraging.

"Yes I know, horse boy," said Wolf testily. "I see what you see."

So much for his encouragement.

Another fifteen minutes passed as they slowly staggered to the end of the bridge. Alexei dropped the branch at once. Wolf followed suit- but unfortunately, he hadn't quite crossed the abyss before letting go of the branch. The branch slid down the slope and soon would have disappeared altogether, if Alexei hadn't grabbed hold of it at the last minute.

Alexei's backpack was rescued, so was the branch, but Wolf's didn't fare so well. It went sliding down the ridge and disappeared down to the abyss within seconds. Wolf could only stare open- mouthed as he watched his two weeks' food supply lifeline disappear from his sight.

"Save it, SAVE IT!" he screamed at Alexei, flailing his arms around wildly.

"Too late now," said Alexei, watching the first rays of twilight shine across the sky. "We'd better get back."

"No. I'm not going without my backpack," said Wolf stubbornly.

"Then you stay and live in the forest then," replied Alexei irritably.

"You made it happen," said Wolf accusingly.

"If anything it was _your _fault," shot back Alexei, his annoyance building.

"You let go of the branch first!" accused Wolf. "I tell you what, you are coming with me to retrieve my backpack _right now _or I'll push you into the abyss."

It wasn't that Alexei believed that Wolf would do it- it was just that he didn't want to pick a fight with Wolf. Then again, the man had killed before- who was to say he wouldn't kill his least favorite member in K- Unit?

* * *

><p>Ten minutes later found Wolf and Alexei slowly climbing down the rocky, vertical- drop cliff by using the grappling hook Alexei had thoughtfully packed. Wolf stayed up beside the cliff edge to reel in Alexei later.<p>

Wolf handed Alexei two ropes.

"To make sure you don't return first before bringing back my backpack, you're going to reel up my backpack first, using the blue rope. When I've received it, I'll reel up back in. Deal?"

Wolf made it sound more like a threat than a question. Alexei rolled his eyes and secured the bands around him.

"Okay, go now," added Wolf just to show as if he were in charge.

Alexei ignored him and started his steady climb downwards, his feet finding hold on the rocks that sometimes jutted out of the cliff. Alexei used the trick his uncle had taught him before- letting go until his feet found foothold on one of the rocks before stopping himself to breathe, then plunging downwards again- to save time. Within 8 minutes, he had successfully landed lightly on one of the large rocks.

That was when all hell broke loose.

Shrill alarms started to ring, momentarily deafening him. In a sudden course of wild panic, Alexei forced himself to calm down before shining his torch around. The beam cut through the darkness efficiently, and Alexei immediately spotted on Wolf's backpack- he was stepping on its strap.

He tied the backpack to the blue rope like Wolf instructed him to, and Wolf immediately began yanking up the line faster than he could imagine. He waited for Wolf to reel him in, yet nothing happened.

The alarms were ringing loudly in his ears, drilling a hole in them. Unsure whether Wolf could hear him, he yelled anyway- "Wolf! REEL!" but no avail.

Three minutes passed. And still he waited, panic slowly rising in him.

Then he saw it- the blue rope he had tied Wolf's backpack to was thrown back into the abyss. As it fell past his head like a mocking message, Alexei had to marvel at his stupidity- how he had fell for the oldest trick in the book.

* * *

><p>Snake checked his watch worriedly.<p>

"It's already seven. Where is Wolf?"

"I don't know. I thought he'd be the fastest," said Fox, looking as surprised as Snake was.

"Shall we press the alarms?" asked Snake again.

"Of course we shall. Wolf's orders, isn't it? Press the alarms at 7 if the Horse guy isn't back yet?" said Eagle, an evil glint in his eyes.

"Alright then," said Snake. "Here goes."

He pressed the button.

Far away, they could hear the alarms starting to ring. Eagle smirked. "Hope Horse is having the time of his life. I knew he couldn't make it. I _knew _it."

Ten minutes later, Wolf burst into the tent, his face flushed with triumph, his backpack slung over his shoulder. His eyes were glinting with mischief.

"We did it!" he crowed. "Horse's in for expulsion."

Eagle thumped Snake on the back. "We've worked hard for that goal, mate. We deserve some praise."

"We pitched your tent for you too," added Snake. "Now after all our hard work, we should celebrate."

"Leave the party for now," said Wolf. "I'm ravenous. Just throw me some bread, will you?"

"What about those in your backpack?" asked Snake.

Eagle rolled his eyes. "When does Wolf ever bring his own food? He lives off us."

Only Fox didn't join in the banter. He sat by himself quietly beside the fire they managed to light and rummaged through his backpack, although he wasn't actually searching for anything.

Thirty minutes later found Alexei trudging into the room, drenched to the skin. A grim looking Seargent followed behind, and by the looks of things, Alexei had gotten more than the usual scolding and rounds.

"One more chance and you're out, Horse," the Seargent reminded Alexei before turning to leave.

Wolf grinned and walked up to Alexei. "So, what did Horsey do thi-"

Before he managed to complete his sentence, Alexei pulled back his fist and punched Wolf straight in the face.

The SAS soldier went sprawling backwards, his eyes wide with shock as he drew his hand across his face and saw blood.

"You crossed the line, Wolf."

Alexei ignored him and walked away, a cold, fierce look haunting his eyes.

**A/N: Thanks for reading Chapter 2! I've been working hard to make it longer. Please do drop me a thought of what you think about it! Please? :p**

**Take care,  
>Epsilon Scorpii<strong>


	3. Chapter 3: Back to the Start

**¬ Last One Standing ¬  
><strong>_Chapter Three:  
>Back to the Start<em>

_DISCLAIMER: I_ own nothing of Anthony Horrowitz's characters. Here's just an ordinary 14 year old girl wishing she does. Hope you enjoy the story!

* * *

><p>Wolf was not having a good day.<p>

The blow Alexei had hit him still stung, so did his pride.

That morning, when he woke up stiff and sore, he had the luck of his life- to bump straight into Alexei, who had worked half the night trying to pitch his tent in the forest beside theirs. Needless to say, Alexei looked paler than a ghost, and the dark circles beneath his eyes made him look like the vampire Edward Cullen/ Robert Pattinson from the Twilight movies.

Normally, Alexei would have nodded in his direction; acknowledged him at least, be it mocking or not. Discipline and respect for the Unit Captain was essential in the SAS soldier team. But no, Alexei just walked past him as though he were made of glass.

Just to strike up a conversation, Wolf approached the youngest unit member of their team.

"Hey Horse, show some respect to the Captain will you?" he had barked in Alexei's direction.

But Alexei just brushed him off. Like an irksome fly. "You haven't earned my respect yet."

And just like that, he left. Left! So irritatingly quickly that Wolf didn't even get the last word in. Gah.

"Wolf."

Snapped out of his reverie, Wolf tended to be as snappy as possible.

"What?" he barked again.

It was Fox, and he was looking at him with a weird expression on his face.

"Just out of curiousity, what happened between you and Horse last night?" he asked, his eyes piercing.

Wolf was prepared for this. He glared right back, his voice unwavering as he said, "Nothing."

Fox shrugged and looked away. "If you say so. But just a tip for you- don't sound too defiant when you're lying. You'd give the game away immediately."

And for the second time in the day, Wolf didn't manage to get the last word in.

* * *

><p>Alexei had a nice surprise waiting for him at breakfast. The moment he stepped into view, Eagle and Snake jumped out from behind a tree, holding huge buckets of ice cold water.<p>

As they upended the two huge buckets all over Alexei, Wolf obligingly went to fetch one himself, and soon Alexei found himself in a drenched mess, hacking and coughing up water in the mud.

Sometimes, Alexei wondered if the Sergeant was in league with Wolf and the rest as well. At that precise moment, the Sergeant strode over for inspection.

The four others immediately leapt to their feet- the buckets stood innocently behind the trees, their uniforms neat and smart. Cursing inwardly, Alexei pushed himself to his feet and brushed his bangs back.

"Horse!" barked the Sergeant. "What are you doing in that state of-..." He trailed off as he glanced at Alexei's ruined uniform.

"I warned you, Horse," he said, wagging a finger threateningly in Alexei's direction. "One more chance, and you're out."

"I'm sorry, sir," said Alexei through gritted teeth. "I'll be careful not to let it happen again."

"Sorry?" exploded the Sergeant, as expected. "Sorry doesn't cover it, Horse. Not in the field. What if you accidentally kill someone with a shotgun? One of your comrades? And you'll just say _sorry _and expect everything to be all right again?"

Sergeant rolled his eyes, then grabbed Alexei roughly by the collar. "Five rounds, up and down the river. No negotiations. Now."

Wolf wagged his finger in immitation of the Sergeant behind his back.

"That's your punishment," continued the Sergeant. "Any opinions you would like to offer?"

"No sir," replied Alexei.

"Then in the river you go then," smirked the Sergeant. "You might as well swim in your uniform- wash off the mud while you're at it."

Alexei said nothing. He just turned to the river- and jumped, much to the surprise of the other K- Unit members, who expected more of a fuss.

* * *

><p>Alexei vented his anger with every stroke he swam, upriver and downriver. There was a strong undercurrent, but Alexei was a good swimmer, so it didn't pose much of a threat.<p>

Just thinking about yesterday night made Alexei want to strangle the K- Unit Captain, as well as himself. What had he expected from K- Unit? What indeed? Didn't he know better?

But truth to be told, Alexei never expected them to be double-crossing fiends- just mean and cold, but always loyal to each other. The last time he had been here was when he was fourteen. He had thought that they were that mean to him just because he was a mere boy- but now it just proved that Wolf and the others were just mean to every single new unit member they had.

It was just his luck that he had to meet them again in a new identity now that Cub a.k.a. Alex's relationship with Wolf had been slightly less rocky than before.

Stupid backpack. Stupid Wolf. Stupid Sergeant.

The water was bitingly cold, and his Unit uniform was dragging him underwater, but still he plunged on, determined to finish the rounds he was assigned. Once or twice, he swore he heard Wolf's haughty laugh, or Eagle's evil cackle- but it could have just been the crickets.

He was panting and out of breath when he finished his fourth round. That was when Wolf and Eagle crawled out from behind a tree, their surprises ready.

As Alexei surfaced for breath, Wolf and Eagle seized their chances. With lightning speed, they grabbed Alexei by his shoulders and pushed his head underwater again. Classic soldier bullying style.

Alexei was strong, but he was no match for both Wolf and Eagle, who had spent half their lives training in the SAS soldier unit. No matter how he struggled and bucked, Eagle and Wolf's hold remained firm.

Time for a little trick.

Alexei gave one last desperate kick at the surface, then allowed his leg to drag the water. He pushed in his spine and his body automatically floated to the surface- though admittedly, face- down. That was when Wolf and Eagle began to get slightly alarmed.

"Has he fainted?" asked Wolf.

"Sure looks like it," replied Eagle, slowly releasing his hold as he prodded Alexei's body. "We'd better go."

Eagle splashed to the shore quickly, but Wolf lingered behind for a moment.

"Should we turn him the right way up, just in case he drowns?" asked Wolf, eyeing Alexei uncertainly.

Eagle rolled his eyes. "Who cares? We've killed before, haven't we?"

But he made his way back into the water all the same, and together with Wolf, heaved Alexei the right way up.

For a moment, their eyes met Alexei's dangerous blue ones, then a spinning kick was delivered. The blow itself wasn't strong, but shock sent Wolf falling backwards. He splashed into the water with something that sounded like a wail, and dragged Eagle down in the process- which was a bonus.

"What the devil is going on there?"

Ah, what a familiar voice.

Alexei straightened himself and waded to the shore, the Sergeant's suspicious gaze trained on him as he did so.

"I was merely carrying on my assigned duty sir," answered Alexei innocently. "I think the other two were too interested in my doings. They leaned in too close to the river and fell in."

Wolf had emerged from the river, and his face was as red as a tomato. "He is a liar! He dragged us both down!" accused Wolf, pointing at Alexei.

The Sergeant looked Wolf up and down, then at Eagle, lastly at Alexei.

"Doesn't seem very probable to me," he said.

Wolf tried to look pitiful and bullied, but his facial muscles couldn't quite pull off the stunt. Eagle just grimaced, as though bracing himself for the worst.

"You're the Captain, Wolf," said the Sergeant, casting a severe eye on Wolf. "I expect better from you."

Then he stalked off, leaving a spluttering Wolf behind. When the K- Unit Captain finally looked around him, Alexei was already long gone.

* * *

><p>Alexei soon caught a cold after the early morning swim, much to Wolf's delight. At first, it had been nothing serious- just a slight headache, but it soon intenstified as noon slowly approached.<p>

Alexei was in the middle of their training exercises- this one including a hundred mile hike up to nowhere, as far as Alexei was concerned. As usual, the K- Unit members soon left Alexei behind, for his speed compared to theirs was like comparing a racing horse to lightning.

The cold was definitely worsening. The higher he climbed, the more excruciatingly did his head hurt, and his watering eyes was not helping either. For the second time that day, Alexei's foot slipped on the rocky edge, which nearly resulted in him tumbling to his death, but the luck of the devil remained on his side.

Three hours later, Alexei felt as though his entire body was made of lead. Ironically, he saw a snail crawling past him, and his tired feet somehow couldn't bring him to go faster than the snail. Staying on his feet seemed such a difficult feat now...

His forehead now felt alarmingly hot, and when Alexei checked his watch- it was to his horror to find that it was already past five o' clock.

How could it be? Surely only three hours had passed, at the most?

But immediately he recalled stopping by a tree to rest what felt like decades ago, and falling into a feverish trance before waking again.

The wind was bitingly cold... the world was getting darker. Was it just him or was night really approaching?

'Just keep on going,' he told himself. 'A hundred miles left, at the least.'

What an encouraging thought.

* * *

><p><strong>Brecon Beacons- K- Unit Tent- Somewhere Between Eight and Nine- Night.<strong>

"It's been three hours, Wolf."

"What?"

"Three hours since all of us reached the finishing line, dressed, ate and rested. Yet there's still no sign of Horsey."

"You worried, Snake?" scoffed Wolf.

"No. I was just wondering if you had set up some traps on the way for Horse," replied Snake, eyeing Wolf curiously. "Did you?"

Wolf sighed dramatically. "No, we didn't get enough time. I would have stayed back and set up a few tricks, but Sergeant G wasn't happy with my last training results, so I figured I should make some effort to impress him today."

"Did you break old Reed's record?"

Reed was a former SAS soldier- the most brilliant M16 had ever had. Wolf was still having difficulties trying to beat his records, but so far no avail.

"No, but I came close," said Wolf, a touch testily. "I was only ten minutes later."

"_Only,"_ said Snake scathingly.

"Whatever," said Eagle, who had came in last. "Where is old Horsey anyway? Do you reckon he got lost?"

Fox looked out of the window. "Maybe. It's getting dark."

"Maybe we should prepare our next surprise for Horsey," said Eagle nastily.

"Maybe we should chuck cold water all over him again," supplied Wolf. "After all, that _is _classic soldier- bullying style too. And it'll worsen his cold."

"Or maybe we should go out and look for him," suggested Fox, but Eagle silenced him with an annoyed look.

"He'll get back," reassured Wolf. "Soon you'll be wishing he never returned. After all, he has a compass."

Eagle rolled his eyes. "We spoilt his compass, remember?"

"Really?"

"I smashed it in your face, Wolf," said Snake, mimicking Eagle's eye- rolling.

"That means he won't be getting back tonight," said Fox, feeling annoyed, too.

"Who cares?" three voices chorused together.

"I seriously don't know what's up with you guys," said Fox, shaking his head. "Everytime there's a new member in K- Unit, you guys will make his life hell."

"Hey- we don't want others butting in, do we?" roared Eagle with infectious spirit. "K- Unit is only for us four, no outsiders allowed. No Cub, no Horsey."

"I'd prefer Cub over Horsey anyday," said Wolf, scowling. "Horsey's ruder than Cub. And his training results are giving us a bad name. He's over twenty but his standards are only slightly better than Cub's standards."

"Talking about Cub- he's dead, isn't he?" asked Snake. "I overheard some news from L Unit- they said they saw his multiliated body lying in front of M16's Headquarters' door step. Said it was horrible, his blood was splattered every where."

"SCORPIA has a way of torturing people," said Fox.

Eagle shook his head sorrowfully. "The good die young."

"I hope the same happens to Horsey," said Wolf, never missing out a chance to be nasty to Alexei.

"You really hate him that much?" asked Fox, cocking an eyebrow in Wolf's direction.

"What do you think?" shot back Wolf, almost spluttering.

"Remember, I've interrogated many convicts before," grinned Fox, tapping his right eye as he made a great show of studying Wolf's face. "I can see through words, expressions and mannerisms, you know."

"Gah," said Wolf a little self- consciously. He slapped away Fox's peering face, but somehow Fox's words managed to make him remember what Alexei did for him yesterday, and for the seventh time in that day, he glanced guiltily at the corner of their tent, where his backpack stood.

Eagle noticed the action and coughed awkwardly. He had been suspicious of Wolf's lateness yesterday, but whenever he asked Wolf just brushed him aside. He was beginning to fear that Wolf would somehow start to like the Horsey guy, like what happened with Cub. "Come on, let's go get a campfire burning," he suggested. "It's been such a long time since we last did that."

"We couldn't do it the last time we were here because the rocks were wet," said Snake, remembering all too well how they had spent that frozen night.

"I wish Cub were here. He could've nicked the Sergeant's matches for us again," sighed Eagle, leaning back.

"I'll go collect some firewood," said Fox, jumping to his feet. "Anyone else in?"

Snake rose to his feet too. "Alright, I'm coming. Don't think you're the only one who knows how to read expressions- I can tell you're going to look for Horsey instead of firewood- aren't I right?"

Fox shrugged in reply.

"Stop doing the shrugging thing," snapped Wolf sensitively. "You remind me of Horsey."

* * *

><p><strong>Brecon Beacons- Forest; somewhere between eight to nine- Night.<strong>

One step.

Two.

Three...

Like a walking corpse, Alexei forced himself onwards, cold perspiration forming on his forehead. Walk on... on...

He drew out his compass again and gave it a half- hearted shake. But he knew it wasn't going to work- the glass had been shattered, and where the alphabets 'E', 'W' and 'S' were engraved in his compass- someone had written 'Eagle', 'Wolf' and 'Snake' instead. Needless to say, he knew who were the culprits. They had even dug out the needles of the compass.

Alexei glanced at the compass, then threw it over the cliff. He watched it as it hung, silver light glinting off its surface as it suspended in mid- air, before plunging downwards into the darkness.

It once had been a treasured gift- the first and last birthday gift he had ever received from Ian Rider- but now it was just a useless, broken object. Why keep what he didn't need? He tried to assure his pang of loss.

Move on.

He stumbled another few steps.

All of a sudden, his foot sank into emptiness. If there had been enough light, or if he had been looking properly, he would have noticed that there was a gap in between the two rocky cliffs which he had to cross. Unfortunately, he had been in a derilous trance for the past six hours or so.

He barely struggled to right himself again- he felt hopeless. Then gravity claimed him for its own.

A crash. Pain. Darkness.

He heard a soft voice tutting in a Russian accent, "Riders never listen," before he passed out. In his feverish sleep he dreamt about the voice again and again, wondering why it sounded so familiar, yet he couldn't place it.

**A/N: Sorry, this chapter is shorter than what I intended it to be, but I thought I'd update faster. **

**Please drop me a thought and click the button below? :D**

**Take care,  
>Epsilon Scorpii<strong>


	4. Chapter 4: Fall

**¬Last One Standing¬  
><strong>_Chapter Four:  
>Fall<br>_

_DISCLAIMER: _I own nothing of Anthony Horrowitz's characters. Here's just an ordinary 14 year old girl wishing she does. Hope you enjoy the story!

And thanks _**so**_ much for all your support!

* * *

><p><em>Forest; Brecon Beacons, 10.00 p.m.<em>

"It's dark, Fox."

"We haven't found him."

"He's probably back by now."

Fox rounded on Snake, feeling rather annoyed. "What do you think are the chances of that happening? You guys ruined his compass!"

"We can call on the backup team to do the search," reasoned Snake. "There's no point for us to wander about the forest in the dark. Supposing we got lost as well?"

"Then we're idiots," returned Fox nonchalantly. "Come on, we've been here for more than twenty times. And you know better than I do that backup teams are always late by twenty- four hours."

Snake grimaced and kept on walking. It was then when he something glinted out of the corner of his eye.

He stopped in his tracks, then walked cautiously over.

"What is it?" hissed Fox, sensing his partner's rigid movements.

"Metal," whispered back Snake.

Fox crept in closer, his soldier senses buzzing on high alert. Both he and Snake knew how dangerous metals could be. A glint in the light could be just a harmless needle, or a mine/bomb waiting to explode.

Snake had better eyesight than Fox, so seconds before Fox breathed a sigh of relief, Snake had already walked over to the object and picked it up from the grass. He turned it over in his palm and cast a weary glance at Fox.

"What's that?" Fox asked at once.

"Compass," said Snake, tossing the object to Fox.

Fox turned over the once beautiful golden compass and noted the scratchings on it- 'Eagle', 'Wolf' and 'Snake' instead of 'East', 'West' and 'South'. Snake coughed awkwardly. "It wasn't my idea, if that's what you're thinking. I had no part in it whatsoever. Eagle just told me of his plan beforehand."

His slightly defiant tone reminded Fox of how serious the situation was. The forest grounds were not safe to be in the night. Some part of it was covered with mines and explosive devices- M16's major training grounds- the rest was left to the wild. Fox didn't like to think what lurked in the woods. Probably something hairy and scary, as the saying went. And he and Snake only had two stun darts each- not enough to defend themselves against any big forest animal. But still, Alexei was out there; lost amongst the forest- and it was all their fault, wasn't it?

"Okay, let's hear the worst case scenario," said Fox, who always used this tactic to solve his problems, which was surprisingly effective.

"Alexei got lost because we ruined his compass, his cold worsened, he fell off the cliff, and got devoured by Scary Hairy Creature. Then guilt will plague us to our afterlife," said Snake, sarcarstically at first, before realising that it could actually be true.

"Right," said Fox. Snake couldn't tell if he was being sarcarstic or not. "So... we'll consider the cliff option first." He walked over to the patch of earth Snake had found the compass. He pressed the earth gently, then stood up. "The compass fell from higher ground to this spot," he concluded, more speaking to himself than to Snake. "That means either Horse threw down the compass, or it slipped out of his pocket while he was climbing the cliff, or he fell down himself."

"Well, we don't see no bodies here, so the third possibility can be crossed out," said Snake, though he glanced around warily just in case.

"Which part of the cliff is it up there?" asked Fox to Snake.

"The mental vertical one," replied Snake, peering into the darkness.

"Horse isn't stupid enough to hold his compass in his hand while he is climbing a nearly vertical slope- he needs four limbs for that," said Fox. "So he must have put it in his pocket. And he was wearing the standard SAS soldier jacket when we last saw him. That jacket has reasonably deep pockets, so he must have placed it in his left jacket pocket- the most unreliable one- for the compass to have fallen out. But that doesn't fit, because the pocket will be facing inside, not towards the cliff."

"So it means he threw the compass off the cliff," said Snake, trying but failing to feel a twinge of guilt at their earlier actions. "So my deduction is that he got lost, but the compass wouldn't work, so in all frustrations he threw it off the cliff. Am I right?"

"Probably," agreed Fox. "Come on. At least we know he passed by this way."

"What about the firewood I collected by that tree?" he asked, pointing at the way they had come.

Fox rolled his eyes. "Trust me, Wolf doesn't expect us to return with firewood either."

* * *

><p><strong>K- Unit Camp; Brecon Beacons; Same Time<strong>

Unfortunately for Fox's deduction, Wolf was actually waiting for the pair of them to return with firewood.

"They're taking ages," he growled, rubbing his hands for warmth.

"They'll probably take even longer," said Eagle cheerfully.

"What?" said Wolf, looking up in disbelief. "They've been gone for thirty whole minutes!"

"It'll take them more than thirty minutes to find Horsey in the dark, that's for certain," replied Eagle.

"I thought they were joking about it," protested Wolf, looking at the pile of food he was looking forward to roast in the fire.

Eagle laughed. "You never learn how to read faces."

Wolf groaned and lay down on the grass. Presently, he spoke again.

"Do you think we overdid it with Horsey?"

"What?" exclaimed Eagle. "Course not. Pah, we had to endure much worse than what he did! You remember the time old Riley left me in a wolverine trap for one entire night? It's a wonder I'm still alive here! We play our pranks, but none of them really endangered his life."

"So you promise you won't take a life?" asked Wolf.

Eagle eyed him wearily. "No. I'll kill Horsey tonight in his sleep."

Wolf jerked his head up slightly before lying down again. "I know you're joking."

"You're trying to convince yourself."

Wolf hmphed and turned over. Then all of a sudden, he blurted out again. "Today, at the river. You were joking, right? About leaving Horsey to drown?"

Eagle groaned. "Wolf, in truth I've never killed anyone in my life before, and I don't want the first person to be granted the honor to be my own unit teammate, however insufferable he may be."

"So you won't try to kill Horsey."

"No. Just make his life hell, like what you told me to. You getting soft, Wolf?"

"NO!" roared Wolf, bolting upright. "The Horsey guy is practically KILLING ME! He's just so-" Wolf swore loudly. "IRRITATING!"

"You're not making much sense, you know," said Eagle, watching Wolf, amused.

"Just tell me, bet on it will you! Tell me what horrible thing to do to that insufferable guy, and I'll do it, seriously," said Wolf rashly, just to prove his point right. Eagle rolled his eyes.

"Fine. We'll put your best shotgun on stake then. So... Wolf, I want you to find Horsey and bring him back here _now _before Fox or Snake finds him. I'll pitch up our spoilt, holey tents and set them on fire. Then you manage the Horsey found at crime scene act. Best case scenario, the Sergeant witnesses it, and Horsey will be off the team for sure. Nobody's career can survive _that. _It's in Code book 18 Section C Verse 90."

"You're joking," said Wolf, glaring at his teammate.

"Not about your shotgun," said Eagle, pointing a threatening finger at Wolf's favorite toy.

"Gah!" said Wolf, annoyed. "That's a stupid plan. I disagree."

"Captain or not, in this case, I have the upper hand because you were the one who asked for a bet," replied Eagle smoothly. He had said this sentence over a hundred times over the past year.

"No fair! I never agreed on betting my shotgun. Leave it out of this," insisted Wolf.

"You have three seconds to leave for mission," chanted Eagle happily. "Three... two..."

Wolf decided against taking on Eagle- that guy's devious- and- mean- at- pranking brain was not a very nice opponent. Trying to assure himself he was only going because of his shotgun, Wolf left hurriedly into the forest.

Smiling slightly to himself, Eagle checked his watch.

With Wolf on the trail, the search would probably last three hours, at the most.

* * *

><p>Fox and Snake were making steady progress across the grounds. By using his grappling hook, Fox had managed to climb up the cliff. After helping Snake up as well, the two proceeded to follow the sandy trail across the slates.<p>

Snake's keen eyes picked up faint footprints at once, for the earth was damp enough to leave marks.

"Looks like I was right about Horse's cold worsening," said Snake grimly. "The footprints show that he was walking like a drunken man. I think he bumped his head more than thrice."

"So far the worst case scenario is proving to be right," said Fox, trying to keep his voice light.

They followed the trail for another half an hour, before Snake stopped abruptly, causing Fox to bump into him. "There's a gap here. I nearly fell down it- it's so dark. Do you think it's safe to use the torchlight here?"

"I suppose we could, for a short while," said Fox apprehensively. Light attracted forest creatures closer to you. "Remember to turn in off once you reach the other side."

"Got it," replied Snake. He switched on his pencil torch, then leapt to the other side, closely followed by Fox who landed on his heels.

"Hey!"

"Sorry," said Fox. "But you could have moved in further to make space for me. Switch off the torch now, won't you?"

"It's not that- the footprints are gone," said Snake, shinning the pencil torch up and down the track as he peered in closer.

"What? Are you sure?" asked Fox, a chill running down his spine at the thought.

"No prints at all," confirmed Fox. "We certainly did not leave any footprints here, because when _we _walked this route, the path was dry. But when Horse walked on this path, it must've been about four or five in the afternoon, when it drizzled, so the earth became damp and therefore we have his footprints. The earth here is still damp, which means Horse must've fell down the cliff."

"Do you think he survived it?" Fox asked as he peered over the edge, shinning Snake's pencil torch down.

"Maybe," said Snake hopefully. "There aren't many sharp rocks around here, so he might have survived- if he fell on a patch of mud to cushion his fall."

"Maybe he clung onto one of the rocks jutting out of the cliff and managed to land safely?"

Snake sighed and rubbed his aching shoulder. "We just have to go down and find out on our own."

* * *

><p>Ten minutes later found Snake and Fox landing safely on the ground, after some excruciatingly difficult and treacherous climbing. Fox had slipped his finger over one of the jagged edges of the rock, and the cut proved to be deep and painful, which slowed their process.<p>

"I don't want to be doing that soon," remarked Snake as he landed lightly on the forest floor. "Switch off your torch, Fox."

Fox did as he was told, then did a five- second bandage on his finger, which included tearing off a strip from his uniform. Snake looked at him in shock. "That's our SAS soldier uniform!" he spluttered.

"I know," said Fox irritably. "It's just faster this way. Keep your eyes open, and make the least amount of noise necessary. I don't like this part of the forest, and I certainly don't want to know what creature lurks in here."

"Okay okay," whispered back Snake before remembering to keep quiet. He walked cautiously about, eyes scanning for any clue that might lead them to Horse but no avail, until...

"I think Horse was here," said Fox.

Snake jumped. "What?" he hissed back.

"Look- the grass trail shows signs of someone being dragged," said Fox, indicating the patch of grass around him. Snake followed his finger and peered closer.

"Hmm... those are certainly hiking shoes," said Snake, frowning as he did so. Then a horrible thought occurred to him. "Our worst case scenario was right so far. Maybe... maybe some scary hairy creature _really _found Horse and dragged him off somewhere to devour him."

Fox didn't like the sound of it. "We just have to go on and find out on our own," he sighed, quoting Snake's earlier words.

The pair made their way cautiously, following the grass marks. Actually, all Fox did was follow Snake, but admittedly it was him who spotted the drag- trails first. When they finally stopped, they seemed to be under a caved- in patch of forest. Only one large yet stumpy tree prevented the entrance from collasping altogether.

"We'll need the torches here," whispered Snake to Fox. "I can't see anything properly. You're better at hearing, Fox- can you tell if there are _bigger _creatures than us around here?"

Fox listened for a full minute. "No," he said at last, "I don't think so."

Snake nodded and switched on his torchlight. But no matter how he strained his eyes in the gloom, he couldn't find the trail anymore. Then he noticed the broken twigs and branches strewn across the path.

"This way," he whispered to Fox.

He walked a few more steps, than stopped so abruptly that for the third time that night, Fox crashed into him.

"Snake! Stop doing that," hissed Fox, annoyed and a bit fearful at the same time. Where was Horse?

"T-There's someone here," croaked back Snake. "And... there's some blood. On the floor."

Fox's pulse skipped a few beats as he closed in to look. Sure enough, a figure was propped against the tree, his face hidden in the shadows. Snake backtracked, breathing deeply. "Oh gods, my prediction came true. Guilt is going to plague me forever."

Gingerly, Fox gave the figure's shoulder a poke, before pulling the person upright by his arm.

"It's okay- the body's warm," said Fox, trying to convince himself more than Snake. "He should be alive."

Snake tentatively helped Fox haul the figure to his feet. Snake shone the light in the black figure's face, and reeled in a shocked gasp. "It's Horse," he managed to say.

Fox was the better paramedic among them both. Snake was half- supporting Alexei, unsure whether to put him down or carry him about.

"Just hold him up," said Fox. "I can't feel his pulse properly."

A blanket of immense silence fell across them for a moment, before a small relieved smile spread across Fox's features. "He's alive," he declared. "Unconscious, but alive. I wonder how he got here?"

"We'll worry about that when he wakes up," said Snake. "For now, how do we get him out of here?"

"Send up flares?" suggested Fox.

"No, the animals here will probably find us before M16 does," said a different voice.

Snake spun round and nearly fainted with shock. "WOLF! You wallop, you scared us!"

Wolf smirked as he emerged from the shadows, behind where Alexei lay a few minutes earlier. "It's a surprise I reached earlier than you. After hanging around for five minutes wondering what I should do with Horsey, you two came noisily down."

"We weren't noisy," protested Fox.

"So how do you propose we get back?" asked Snake, ending the squabble.

"Walk back," said Wolf, shrugging. "I'll run back first, because I'm fastest, and send help on the way. You guys walk slowly back. Stick close to the cliffs, so we'll be able to find you." He smirked. "One of you will have to carry Horsey."

Snake looked at Fox; Fox rolled his eyes. "I'll do it," he said.

With an easy swing, Fox slung Alexei over his shoulder like a doll. He frowned. "_This _is Horse's weight? I thought he was thin, but this is alarming for a twenty- year old."

Snake glanced at Alexei's feet. "He lost his hiking boots," he remarked.

"Not my doing," said Wolf at once. "And for the first time, I'm innocent. See you guys later."

With that, he jogged off. Within a few minutes, he had disappeared from view. Snake scowled.

"Typical Wolf, leaving us to do the hard work."

"You mean me," said Fox, adjusting Alexei over his shoulder. "But seriously speaking, Horse is lighter than the sack of boulders we had to carry last time."

* * *

><p>Surprisingly, everything went smoothly. Wolf was true to his word and managed to arrive at the Camp site in eighteen minutes to alert the Sergeant. A jeep was sent to fetch Fox, Snake and Alexei. Wolf didn't trust the Sergeant's driving skills more than himself, so he took the wheel. He turned out to be an extremely alarming yet brilliant driver, for it took a total of five minutes for him to get to Snake, Fox and the unconscious Alexei, yet hit nothing.<p>

All too soon, they reached the camp site. Wolf helped Alexei down this time, much to everyone's shock. "Fox's injured," said Wolf defiantly, as he heaved Alexei over his shoulder, then headed towards the sick bay.

Fox grinned. "Whatever you say."

The sick bay was a simple white building constructed three miles away from their camp site. It was rarely used, but the facilities there were modern and in operation. Once Wolf had stepped through the doors, three nurses and one doctor had relieved Wolf of Horse, then laid him down on a white bed.

The paramedics gave Alexei a thorough check-up and declared nothing broken. In fact, to their surprise, they actually found a neat bandage where Alexei's head had hit the ground during the fall. Wolf frowned.

"Did he manage to bandage his head before fainting?" he asked incredulously.

Snake peered closely at Alexei. "Sure looks like it."

"Why isn't he waking up, then?" asked Fox, massaging his shoulder as he did so.

"The paramedics did a blood test just now," said Wolf. "The results will come out soon enough."

The results turned out to be even more surprising- as they detected anaesthetic in Alexei's bloodstream.

"This is getting more and more ridiculous," said Snake, glaring down at Alexei. "What is he playing at?"

When the bandage was peeled off, Alexei's wound was declared to be rather serious, and immediately seized the opportunity to usher the other K- Unit members out. Fox had his finger injury as an excuse to stay.

"I'll have to stitch both of your wounds," announced the doctor after taking a look at Fox's finger. "Your finger, Horse's head. Oh well."

Fox winced. "Stitch? Is it that bad?"

"Yes it is," said the doctor. "Your wound has got sand and rocks stuck in it. I'll have to dig those out too."

"Ew," said Fox.

"I'll give you some anaesthetic then. I suppose Horse already has his dose, so he won't need anymore."

The doctor left them alone for a moment to get some pain killers for Fox. However, as soon as the door shut behind them with a click, Alexei let out a hiss of pain and grabbed his forehead.

"You're awake?" whispered Fox.

Alexei blinked open an eye. "Didn't know you were here," he mumbled.

"When did you wake up?" asked Fox, wondering if Alexei remembered himself carrying him.

Alexei shifted a little and mumbled, "Wolf."

Fox tried his best not to laugh. Of all the times, Alexei had woken when Wolf was carrying him. Fate had a sense of humor.

"Don't tell _anyone _I'm awake," whispered Alexei, suddenly pleading.

"Why?" shot Fox at once.

"I-"

The door burst open. The doctor handed Fox a pill and a glass of water. "Painkiller," he explained.

When he turned his back on them to prepare his assortment of needles, Fox yanked open Alexei's mouth and popped in the tablet, his actions a blur. Alexei's eyes fluttered a moment, looking at him in surprise, before swallowing the tablet. When the doctor turned around again, Alexei was lying as still as a statue on the bed all over again.

The doctor picked up the needle. "Your system will be numb, so it won't hurt too much," reassured the doctor.

Fox braced himself for the worst.

* * *

><p>Four hours later, Fox , after some heated debating, was allowed to leave the Sick Bay.<p>

"Straight back to the camp, remember," warned the doctor. "You sure you don't need a jeep to send you back?"

"No," said Fox firmly. "Thank you, doctor."

He turned quickly into the woods, towards where K- Unit had pitched their tent. But as he reached the trees, something led him round the back of the Sick Bay again, to the window of Alexei's room.

Somehow, he wasn't all too surprised to see Alexei fiddling with the alarm system.

Grinning slightly, Fox undid the latch from outside, then slipped a penknife in through the gap to Alexei. Alexei looked up, saw him and grinned back sheepishly. Then he cut off the wires and lifted the window.

As nimble as a monkey, Alexei climbed out of the window, then shut it behind it silently.

"I take it you don't want to stay the night?" smiled Fox.

"No way," answered Alexei, handing back his pen- knife.

"You've got a cold and a serious wound, Horse," he reminded.

Alexei rolled his eyes and kept on walking. Once they rounded the corner, Alexei stopped short- he had spotted the 24 hour surveillance camera swivelling about. Not really knowing why he was helping Horse, Fox grabbed his hand and steered him towards the pillars.

"Trust me, I know every single blind spot," he grinned.

In five minutes' time, they were safely out of the hospital, heading into the woods. As they walked, Fox grimaced and looked at his finger, which was throbbing painfully.

Alexei winced. "It must've been really painful."

Fox shuddered. "You have no idea."

"I'm sorry. You really didn't need to do that," said Alexei awkwardly.

"If I didn't, and you were still conscious when the doctor stuck the needle in, you would have screamed your head off and there goes your act," retorted Fox. "Your wound is worse than mine."

Alexei said nothing, though Fox thought he saw a faint smile pass Alexei's features.

"You can tell me you know," Fox said softly.

"Tell you what?" asked Alexei, surprised.

Fox stopped. 'I know you're undercover, and you're definitely not twenty,' he wanted to say. 'Your character and strength may pass, but your body can't. You're too light, too short, and I can tell your voice is still a child's voice. Not yet broken.' But he kept quiet, deciding that it wasn't the right moment to pursue the subject. Not yet.

"What happened to you?" he asked instead. "And why did you pretend to be unconscious?"

Alexei shuddered. "Imagine me, waking up on Wolf's back! That man will be beyond humiliated if that really happened, and would have hated me all the more, and screamed a whole lot more, then throw me off. What's the point? It's easier to continue faking."

"And?" prompted Fox, sensing more to the answer.

"I... I-" he met Fox's eyes for the second time. Deciding he could trust the man, he continued. "I wanted to sneak out. I thought it would be an easier feat if everyone thought I was unconscious."

"But where else do you want to go?" asked Fox in surprise.

Alexei did not meet his gaze this time. "There's somebody I need to find."

* * *

><p>This was a seriously, seriously stupid idea.<p>

He would get suspended.

His career life over.

He might get Alexei killed; maybe even himself.

Bad idea.

Horrible idea.

Yet- Alexei's idea.

Fox didn't know why he was going along with it. Maybe it was something to do with Alexei's pleading eyes- or his yearning to gain the boy's trust- as Fox could tell that Alexei was not a very trusting person.

With the simple words he put in, "I trust you won't tell anyone," was ten times more powerful than a direct order; as Fox didn't want to disappoint the boy directly after he had won a little trust. Now he felt like a stupid elder brother stalking after a mischievious younger brother.

"You're still in your hospital clothes," said Fox as they moved through the forest. "Surely you need a coat or something?"

"I'm fine," said Alexei, waving his hand.

Fox wondered if all teenagers were like that. He shrugged off his coat and wrapped it firmly around Alexei.

"No arguments, or you'll force me to blackmail you," he warned jokingly.

Another awkward smile. "Thanks."

Fox wondered why Alexei seemed so... shy whenever he tried to be nice to him. It was probably because he wasn't accustomed to someone caring, or that the simple thought of a K- Unit member caring was simply too ridiculous and weird for Alexei to accept.

"I think this is the place where I fell," said Alexei as he glanced up the rocky cliffs.

"That's pretty good memory for someone who was fainting," joked Fox. "We found your compass over there."

Fox could have sworn Alexei's eyes lit up a bit as he said that. "Really?"

"Yeah, the one you threw," he replied casually.

"Oh. I won't ask you how you knew, you being detective and all," said Alexei, walking away from the spot.

"So... do you remember more details about your life- saver? Other than his Russian accent?" asked Fox, walking faster to keep up with Alexei.

"No. He just said-... something," finished Alexei lamely. "I- don't quite remember what."

In truth, Alexei did remember more of the man's voice- something about Riders not listening to advice. The man's voice had suddenly rang a bell in his head, causing him to stir from unconsciousness, to find himself on Wolf's back. Alexei shook his head to erase the memory.

"So where exactly did you find me?" asked Alexei, changing the subject.

"Follow me," said Fox, dropping his voice.

Fox used his pencil torch to guide Alexei back to the cave- in forest, then pointed over to the tree where they had found Alexei earlier.

"Here. Snake followed the broken twigs and branches which were strewn across the floor as a trail. That's how we found you," he finished.

Alexei's head snapped up, suddenly alert. "Broken twigs?" he muttered, then cast his gaze on the floor.

"Aha," he said, a slow smile spreading across his features.

Fox felt a bit alarmed. "What?"

Alexei ignored him and started to walk off in the opposite direction. For more than once, he stopped and studied the criss- crossing patterns of the branches, before suddenly plunging into a bush and disappearing completely.

"Hey- Horse! You okay?" hissed Fox.

Alexei's head appeared. He was grinning. "I found it," he said, pointing to a hatch in the soil. Someone had covered it up with mud, but Alexei had already scraped it away.

"It's an old trick," whispered Alexei to Wolf. "A double- bluff, if you like it. Only trained soldiers will think of looking at the broken twigs and stuff like that, and deciphering their pattern to find the trail is hard enough. People usually buy it- and they feel very smug after finding the trail. But some people apply this in the opposite direction, to lead people in the opposite course, if you get what I mean."

Fox was impressed. "Seems like a new trick to me."

"Shall we go in?" asked Alexei, pointing at the underground hatch.

"Let me listen first," he said, then lowered his ear to the ground. His brow furrowed in concentration, then suddenly he pulled Alexei to one side, yelling, "DUCK!"

A loud crack sounded as something whizzed past them and hit the rock opposite with a large, deafening 'BANG!'.

"Run, now!" said Fox, propelling Alexei to his feet. They ducked down low and raced out of the cave- in forest. And ran smack into someone.

Before Alexei managed to look up, he saw something glinting off the dim light, slashing through the air. He caught it deftly with his instincts. It was the man they ran into. He had attempted a blow to Alexei's neck, but Alexei managed to block it by grabbing his arm.

The man wrenched free immediately then disappeared, leaving his watch is Alexei's hands.

Then Fox tugged Alexei's hand roughly, pulling him into the forest. But Alexei stopped him and looked back, seemingly trying to go after the man.

"What are you doing? Run, now!" hissed Fox in his ear.

Being stronger than Alexei, he half- dragged, half- carried the boy away from danger- but to his surprise, Alexei only protested weakly.

"Did it hit you?" he asked, slowing down a little as he found that no one was coming after them.

"Go after him," he panted. Alexei was fast turning a shade of white, and he grabbed a tree to support himself. "His watch-..."

"What?" said Fox, thinking he must have misheard.

"Ian," Alexei mumbled weakly, before collasping to the ground in a coughing fit.

**A/N: So what do you think? This chapter is longer, because I fear that my updates might not come that fast anymore. I'll try my best, though. Please drop me a thought! **

**Take care,  
>Epsilon Scorpii<strong>


	5. Chapter 5: Clue

**¬ Last One Standing ¬  
><strong>_Chapter Five:  
>Clue<em>

_DISCLAIMER: I_ own nothing of Anthony Horrowitz's characters. Here's just an ordinary 14 year old girl wishing she does. Hope you enjoy the story!

P.S.: And thank you for all your hearty support, your reviews really meant a lot!

* * *

><p><strong>K- Unit Camp Site; Brecon Beacons- 4.45 a.m. :<strong>

"First Horsey disappears, and now it's Foxey's turn," grumbled Eagle, double- checking Fox's bunk.

"Are you absolutely _sure _the doctor said Fox left the hospital at ten?" asked Wolf for the upteenth time, unconsciously tapping his favorite shotgun against his palm.

"_YES! _Yes, Wolf, I _said yes. _That's the tenth time you've asked!" replied Snake, feeling extremely annoyed. "If you don't believe me, why don't you go ask the doctor himself, instead of buggering me constantly!"

"Hmph," said Wolf, turning his back on both Snake and Eagle as he left the tent. Where could Fox have gone? Dawn was rapidly approaching now. They only had two hours left to them before they had to report themselves to the Sergeant, who wouldn't be pleased.

An idea sprouted in his brain like a light bulb.

Alexei must have seen him last, right? So Fox might have told him where he would be going!

He immediately made for the hospital, before he remembered Alexei had been unconscious the entire time. He probably didn't even know when and where Fox left, or if Fox had left at all. Even if Alexei had been awake, Fox wouldn't have told him where he would be going, would he? Plus, he, the K- Unit Captain, did not take insults lightly, and he'd rather die jumping off a hundred storey tower than beg Alexei to tell him anything about Fox's wherabouts.

But all the same...

'Fine, I won't beg Horsey', thought Wolf triumphantly. 'I'll order- no, force him to tell me where is Fox right now!'

And with that satisfactory thought, Wolf made his way into the woods, towards the Sick Bay. However, as he approached the white building that reared up before him, his spirits plummeted. Doctors and nurses were bustling about in a panicky state, and technicians were approaching with worried looks on their faces. Wolf ignored his sixth sense and approached the doctor. He just had to try.

"Is patient Horse from K- Unit here?" he asked, though part of him knew the answer.

"He... he was," replied the doctor, refusing to meet Wolf's eye.

Wolf groaned. "What do you mean _he was? _Did he check out or what?"

The doctor didn't look as composed as he was a few hours earlier, when he was stitching Alexei's wound. "No- as a matter of fact, I... the technicians have found the alarm wires of his window cut, and the window latch unlocked. They are still reviewing the tapes on camera, but as of yet, we don't see him on-"

"That means Horse _wasn't _unconscious?" said Wolf, getting more and more irritated, and suddenly afraid that Alexei had woken up when he had been carrying him.

"He _was, _when the surgery was carried out, and we checked him about an hour later..." trailed off the doctor, feeling as though his feeble excuses were were like adding fuel to Wolf's fiery temper.

He was, unfortunately, right.

"You are aware that you have just lost an SAS soldier on mission, aren't you?" said Wolf, his voice dangerous.

"He- he left on his own accord! What does that have to do with us?" croaked the doctor, who could not be shaken by blood, yet easily frightened by threats.

"It has hardly anything to do with 'us', as you put it," said Wolf ruthlessly. "As far as I'm concerned, you are the only one I'm going to hold responsible for the disappearance of my fellow soldier in _my _unit." Wolf fingered his glossy Captain badge for emphasis. "_You _carried out his surgery. It wasn't a minor one either, was it- doctor? A head surgery- complex and easy to go wrong."

He glared at the doctor, leaning closer as he did so.

"Is this your best shot, doctor, to cover up your mistake? To make your patient disappear off the face of the Earth?" taunted Wolf, his eyes menacing.

The doctor's eyes widened at the accusation. "No, no! This is preposterous! How could you accuse me of such a- "

"Help me find him, then," said Wolf fiercely, lowering his voice so only both of them could hear.

"Certainly, to prove my innocence, I shall do whatever it takes!" said the doctor, drawing himself determinedly to his fullest height, which barely reached Wolf's shoulder. Wolf, too, straightened, so the doctor's head could only reach his arm.

"Good. Now, the Sick Bay has the fastest jeep model, hasn't it?"

The doctor nodded tentatively once, suspiciously, before nodding several times nervously at Wolf's glare. "Yes, yes, we do."

"Excellent. Give me the keys now," said Wolf, handing out his palm. "And I don't want anyone to know about this, or the Sergeant may be alerted of my suspicions. Understood?"

The doctor bobbed his head several times, his face white, hands shaking.

* * *

><p><strong>Forest; Brecon Beacons, same time:<strong>

"Come back, Horse! I came with you this far, and that is enough. This is totally out of bounds," said Fox desperately, pulling Alexei back.

"I've got to find him," wheezed Alexei, whose cold had worsened considerably. "The man... he had the watch. H-He might've been my life- saver."

Fox found the entire situation weird.

"Okay, I know you're desperate to thank your life- saver, but this definitely not the time," he said, more forcefully this time.

"It's now or never," returned Alexei stubbornly, but Fox caught him by the elbow.

"No, _Alexei," _he said.

"Stop it," said Alexei irritably. "You're not supposed to know my name."

"I am ordering you, as a friend, to come back this instant, not by your rank," replied Fox, not letting go of Alexei.

"Friend?" repeated Alexei, as though he had never heard the word before. There was a silent 'Right!' added at the end, but Alexei didn't voice it out. His strength was giving out fast, but his sheer will and determination managed to let him stay upright and pull feebly at Fox's firm grip.

"By this rate, you won't be getting back by yourself, so don't think about me leaving you alone," warned Fox as Alexei made to snap something at him again.

Alexei's strength finally sapped out of him, and he leaned heavily on a tree, panting and wheezing. His right hand was numb from cold, but he still clutched the watch tightly, as though it might disappear after its owner.

"Come on, let's go back," suggested Fox, but already he could see Alexei was in no state to move. In fact, Alexei's body was starting to heat up alarmingly fast, and he was shivering uncontrollably.

"I _told _you so," reprimanded Fox, annoyed and worried at the same time. "How are we supposed to get back now with you in that state?"

For a moment, Alexei said nothing- then Fox noticed that he was smiling.

Did the fever addle his brains? Fox felt a little alarmed.

"What's so funny now?" he asked, a little snappish at that point.

"It's just that you're more of a father figure to me than anyone ever was," replied Alexei, still smiling slightly as though it were the funniest thing in the world. But sadly, Fox noticed, again, his smile was distant, unreaching his eyes.

Fox didn't know what to say. He didn't know if he had just been insulted or praised. Somehow, he felt it more on the latter. "If you must put it that way, I prefer the term brotherly," said Fox, albeit a little awkwardly.

Alexei did not reply. He slumped against the tree and closed his eyes tiredly.

* * *

><p>When Wolf found the pair huddled beside the tree in the dark, he didn't know whether to feel furious, amused or relieved.<p>

He went for the first option.

"FOX!" he bellowed, no sooner than when Fox had helped Alexei up the jeep. "Do you have any idea-"

Fox groaned, closed his eyes and stuffed his fingers in his ear. "Alex- Horse is sleeping, Wolf," he said, correcting himself.

Wolf's brow furrowed in suspicion.

"Did you just _nearly _use his real name?" he said, his voice incredulous.

"No, I said 'Relax, Horse is sleeping,' not 'Alexei'," lied Fox smoothly.

"Hmmmph," fumed Wolf. "And here I was thinking that both of you wouldn't be stupid enough to blunder into the middle of the forest at night when you've just came out of the Sick Bay."

"Then why look here for us?" shot back Fox.

"I just had to check, because I've checked everywhere else!" returned Wolf, turning the jeep left sharply. "I had to blackmail the doctor to get this jeep you know!"

"Isn't that a brilliant excuse to use the fastest jeep model MI6 has," said Fox dryly, causing Wolf to nearly crash into a tree.

"Okay, okay, relax," said Fox, highly amused. "Your concern for our safety was heartfelt. I thank you sincerely."

And he said it with such conviction, that if you didn't know him better, you would have believed him.

* * *

><p>They were met with a beyond furious Sergeant the moment their jeep hit gravel. The Sick Bay loomed up before them, and the Wolf thought they could actually make it- before the Sergeant overwrote the jeep's control systems, whose voice patterns were encrypted. The jeep jerked a little before its engine whined pitifully and died, causing Wolf to curse.<p>

The Sergeant brandished a cane menacingly in their directions, pointing first to Wolf, then the space in front of him. Wolf took it as a sign that the Sergeant wanted him out.

Sighing wearily, he did so, followed by Fox, then Alexei.

The Sergeant closed in.

"UNAUTHRORISED ACCESS!" bellowed the Sergeant, pointing a rigid finger at Wolf as he advanced on him menacingly- which reminded Wolf of himself and the doctor. "You have very nearly broken every single rule in the rulebook in thirty minutes, Captain Wolf!"

"It was an emergency!" shouted back Wolf, just to be overheard. So much for his being nice.

"NO EXCUSES!" yelled the Sergeant, whose voice was like booming thunder. "You, at the very least, will be demoted, plus suspension! Unauthorised access to Sick Bay vehicle, blackmailing, leaving camp site without permission, disobeying orders, lying about emergencies- "

"I DID NOT!" said Wolf heatedly.

"Evidence?" asked the Sergeant, raising an eyebrow in Wolf's direction.

Wolf spluttered, at a loss of what to say. Fox stood quietly by one side. But Alexei raised his hand, as if asking for permission to talk.

The Sergeant frowned. "Horse?"

He shuffled forwards, brushing past Wolf as he did so.

"I'm your evidence," he said.

Sergeant raised another eyebrow. "Your existence doesn't prove anything."

"It proves everything," corrected Alexei, smirking slightly. "As if it weren't for _Captain _Wolf, me and my partner would certainly not be existing right now, except if you count the existence of blood and bones."

"So what in the name of Neptune happened?" thundered the Sergeant.

Alexei was too sick and tired to be scared. "Big. Scary, hairy creature- too feverish to know what it was. Jumped at my throat. That's where it scratched me." He showed a big, bleeding wound on his arm where a branch had scratched him when they were running away from the shot. "The evidence is splattered all over my jacket. Feel free to inspect."

Wolf choked and coughed violently. The Sergeant frowned and stared at them, his eyes suspicious.

"According to Rule Book Volume VII, Part B, Chapter Three, Number Ninety- Five, it states that exceptions for rule- breaking during camps can be made during emergency situations," quoted Alexei, whose memory stunned Wolf mildly.

"We shall need to inspect your jacket," said the Sergeant at last, but he looked very unhappy about the decision. However, he knew the rules, and unfortunately, so did Alexei- who had been studying them long before he knew anything about becoming a spy. It had started out as something Ian Rider had wanted him to learn- as it had included many rules about being snipers/ staying undetected/ fighting. But it seemed as though he had been manipulated since he was born.

Alexei shrugged off the jacket Fox lent him previously and handed it over. Then ignoring Wolf's dumbstruck stare, Alexei turned his back on all of them and hobbled into the Sick Bay, breathing heavily.

* * *

><p>Alexei did not wake up until nine the next morning, feeling stiff and sore, but very much better. The doctor's medicines were strong, and Alexei was slightly afraid that he might be overdosed- after all, he was supposed to be a twenty- year old man, but he was far beyond caring. He downed all the pills the doctor gave him and drifted off again, until he woke again at noon.<p>

Alexei was pleasantly surprised when Fox dropped in during lunch break to check on him.

"They checked my jacket thoroughly and tested your blood sample as well," said Fox, grinning. "They even found a few strands of wolverine fur on it, so naturally they assumed the big hairy scary creature to be a wolverine. How did you manage to fake that?"

Alexei smiled. "You were wearing your cloak over your jacket," he replied. "Your cloak is almost one hundred percent wolverine fur."

Fox laughed. "That's pretty ingenious thinking. Anyway, you _might _be happy to know that not only Wolf wasn't demoted or suspended, he got himself a silver medal for helping fellow soldiers and such. Well, you get the idea. He would have gotten gold, but the Sergeant was too against it- so MI6 gave him silver instead."

Alexei smirked. "So now Wolf owes me something."

Fox shared his evil grin. "He sure does."

"You, however, are a different matter," added Fox. "You're required to explain everything, about how we got trapped in the forest and such, and why you wandered out of the Sick Bay on your own. I was afraid I'd ruin your cover story, if you did have one in mind, so I told the Sergeant that we're going to give testimony together, or not at all. He thinks you're still unconscious." He paused a while. "Wolf knows the entire story, though. Apparently the watch you were holding on to fell from your pocket in the jeep. He found it and wouldn't give it back unless he knew the entire situation."

Alexei nodded, but said nothing. Fox handed him the silver watch, and Alexei took it wordlessly.

There was a moment of silence, before Fox finally got up and motioned for Alexei to do the same.

"You feel strong enough, I presume?" he asked, with a glint in his eye that made Alexei immediately answer, "Of course."

"Then let's get going," said Fox briskly, undoing the window latch. "No one will check on you for an hour, and I hope we'll be back in time." He turned his back to look at Alexei, who was grinning slightly.

"You're not going to ask where we're going, are you?" asked Fox.

* * *

><p>Fifteen minutes later found Alexei and Fox at the same spot where Alexei had discovered the trap door before the man fired a shot. Fox listened for a while, before declaring the cost clear.<p>

Alexei made to fling open the hatch at once, but Fox hesitated. "Don't you think we should check for booby traps first?" he asked.

Alexei shook his head. "I don't think so."

Before Fox could stop him, he pulled the trapdoor open, and they were immediately met with a camera contained in a fish- eye lens, which was feeding information to goodness knows where. Fox cursed and wrenched the wires apart, but they both knew that it was too late. The camera had probably sent and downloaded their pictures to another file for storage, considering its model. The men that were here last night were smart; they had killed two birds with one stone by planting the camera there to catch intruders by surprise, and by relaying the message that they were already one step ahead.

Cautiously, both Alexei and Fox climbed down the ladder propped against the trapdoor, Fox in the lead. To their surprise, there was even running electricity in the underground room. The lights switched on automatically as their feet touched ground. In fact, the room was sparsely furnished- with even concrete tiles and painted walls. It was pretty spacious too, and even the ceilings were plaster ceilings.

Alexei looked around for a clue... and found it. The window binds.

It made no sense to have window binds in an underground room, as there would be no light to filter in. So by simple deduction, it was there for another reason- for example, to conceal something. Slowly, he approached it and wound the window binds up, then let it down again.

A letter fell out, landing lightly on the floor in front of Alexei. He picked it up and turned it over.

A short, simple printed message which comprised of two words came into view.

_'Find me.'  
>C.<em>

Alexei looked up to call Fox, but he saw that the man was staring at something else behind the window binds.

A few words had been carved into the wall, but they had all faded in time. Alexei ran his finger across the wooden wall and tried to trace the alphabets, but no avail.

"I think it says Coss- something," said Fox, tracing his finger across the wood. "I can't figure out what. Coss- something and Hunt... _Hunter."_

Fox looked up. "Does it mean anything to you?" he asked.

Alexei hesitated for a while, before shaking his head. "No. Let's just keep on looking."

* * *

><p>Thirty minutes later, Alexei was once again lying on the white bed, waiting for the infrutiating doctor to leave. He was prodding Alexei constantly, and whenever he shone a torch under Alexei's eyelids, Alexei had to remember to roll his eyes up just in time so the doctor would only see the whites of his eyes and think that he was still unconscious. After the doctor had repeated his check on Alexei for three times, he frowned and grumbled something, then left, slamming the door behind him.<p>

Alexei breathed a sigh of relief and reached into his pocket to bring out the piece of paper. He had searched the envelope for more clues, flipped every corner of the house, but found nothing else.

Find who? Who was C.? How was he supposed to find him? This was almost as good as zero starting point. And who was the letter addressed to? Him? Might be probable, as the men there knew that he was going to return to find that trapdoor- they had planted the camera as a welcome surprise. But did they expect him to find the letter? Or was it addressed to someone outside the gang?

Maybe they had left the letter for another man, to tell them they had moved? And who was his life- saver? His heart still went cold at the thought- the man had known at once who he was.

Rider- he had called him. Not exactly though- what he actually said was "Riders never listen."

But what did he mean?

He was supposed to be undercover- as SCORPIA's spy. In three months time, if his appeal for the spy work didn't get through- he was in big trouble. But that didn't pose as a problem. As long as MI6 didn't find out that he was working for SCORPIA, he would be in for the spy business again.

No more bullying or ribbing. No more K- Unit. Just him, revenge and SCORPIA.

No more K- Unit.

Somehow, at that thought, he suddenly remembered Fox's smile, and a small bittersweet warmness crept into his mind. He pushed it away roughly, but it was a millisecond too late.

That just proved it- didn't it? The only few people who ever cared for him all ended up getting hurt.

How would Fox react if he knew that it was he, Alexei a.k.a. Cub who had betrayed them all in the end? He didn't want to know.

But at least he had nothing to lose from Wolf and the rest of K- Unit. They hated him already anyway. He might as well worsen their hatred, and get revenge while he was at it.

He lay back down on his pillow, then found something hard underneath it. Frowning, he retrieved it with his right hand, and found a familiar golden compass resting in his palm, the intricates on it as beautiful as before. He turned it over, but there was no 'R' on it. Not his old compass, anyway.

There was a little slip of paper jammed precariously in the glass frame. The handwriting was tiny and terrible, but Alexei managed to squint and read it anyway:

'**_Congratulations for living twenty- one years.'_**

The note was annoymous.

Then suddenly he remembered- his fake birthday date he used to apply for the SAS soldier job had been 1st November.

Today. Right.

Suddenly, the door burst open before Alexei could lie back in his bed and feign unconsciousness. A nurse stepped in, her eyes wide, mouth smiling. "You're awake!" she exclaimed, relieved and happy. Alexei suspected that she was fed up with the Sergeant's constant visits and buggerings to know whether he was awake or not.

"Yes I am," said Alexei, ignoring her wide smile. "Tell me, did Fox drop by just now again?"

"No, only once about an hour ago," she replied, smiling as she left the door. "But about thirty minutes earlier, your Captain Wolf did, though."

The note slipped from Alexei's grasps as he stared, transfixed at the compass.

_Wolf?_

**A/N: What do you think of Chapter Five? I hope it's not too short. Surprisingly, I managed to update another chapter within this week. But warning: I may not be able to update that quickly next time, seriously. It depends on whether I have the time, actually... and amount of illegal time I get to sneak to use the computer, if you get what I mean. *wink**

**Please do leave me a thought!**

**Take care,  
>Epsilon Scorpii<br>**


	6. Chapter 6: Starting Again

**¬Last One Standing¬  
><strong>_Chapter Six:  
>Starting Again<br>_

_DISCLAIMER: _I own nothing of Anthony Horrowitz's characters. Here's just an ordinary 14 year old girl wishing she does. Hope you enjoy the story!

And thanks _**so**_ much for all your support!

* * *

><p>Alexei was momentarily discharged at seven in the evening that day. The doctor had insisted he ate some more 'Sick Bay Food', but Alexei couldn't stand the tasteless, chewy substances they served as meat anymore and flatly declined it. He was to face the Sergeant again, and after his 'trial', he would be confined to bed all over again. What a day to look forward to.<p>

Fox was waiting for Alexei as he exited the front door, much to Alexei's surprise once again.

"So... how's your head feeling?" Fox asked casually as they left the Sick Bay, the doctor's untrusting gaze resting heavily ont the pair of them.

"As good as new," answered Alexei sarcarstically. In truth, his head had been pounding since the moment he stood up, but that wasn't going to stop him from leaving the Sick Bay.

Fox grinned. "Come on then, let's get back to camp fast."

Alexei cocked an eyebrow in his direction. "Why are you still grinning like that?" he asked. "We're in for trial, remember?"

Fox's grin disappeared. "Oh yeah. Right."

Alexei snorted at Fox's expression, and together they made their way back to Camp, deciding to face their fate as early as possible.

The Sergeant's face was pretty red by the time they found him. He exhaled and inhaled deeply before turning to face both of them.

"At last, Sleeping Beauty wakes," he said dryly, looking pointedly at Alexei.

Alexei made no comment.

"You will follow me into the interrogation tent," said the Sergeant commandingly, and Alexei nodded. "Horse will be interrogated first- Fox next. Let's see if you can come up with the same story."

Alexei's heart lurched unpleasantly. He shot a look at Fox, but Fox merely grinned and waved him in confidently. Maybe he had already thought of that, and had planted an eavesdropping device in the tent? Alexei didn't know.

He walked into the tent, closely followed by the Sergeant. Fox was left waiting outside with two soldiers staring hard at his every movement suspiciously.

The interrogation tent was what Alexei expected it to be; no furniture, no nothing, just a cramped empty space for him and the Sergeant to sit down. The Sergeant did so; and Alexei waited for him to settle himself before gingerly sitting down opposite the man- it was common respect in the soldier unit.

"So, Horse," said the Sergeant, glaring at him with sharp eyes. "Tell me what exactly happened since you did not return by seven o' clock to the camp. Where were you, and what were you doing?"

Alexei had to hide a smile. "I was lost, and did not know what I was doing."

The Sergeant rubbed his temples. "One last chance, Horse. Don't test my patience."

"I had a fever, sir," elaborated Alexei. "It got worse during my hike. I couldn't even walk or see properly- and my compass was spoilt, so naturally I got lost."

"And how does that explain the wound in your head, and Wolf, Fox and Snake finding your near- dead body behind a tree? And how in the world did you get yourself anaesthetic and a bandage, I wonder, when you _couldn't even walk or see properly, and did not know what you were doing?_" the Sergeant asked, voice laced with sarcarsm.

"I apologise, sir, I've quite forgotten that fact. I might add, though, in the process of me getting lost, I fell down a cliff. I didn't wake up until all the excitement was over."

The Sergeant snorted again. "You're evading all the questions with a simple excuse of being unconscious?"

Alexei shrugged. "It happens to be the truth. You can check with the doctor- there _was _anaesthetic in my bloodstream, was there not?"

"Fine," snapped the Sergeant. "But that still does not explain how you ended up lost in the forest with Fox." He smiled unpleasantly. "The last time we saw both of you, was when Fox, Snake and Wolf helped you into the Sick Bay. An hour later, we found you and Fox missing. And guess what? We found the alarm systems cut and window latch open."

Alexei smiled. "I guess you already know the conclusion this time without my further elaboration?"

"Fox helped you get out of the Sick Bay?" he asked accusingly.

Alexei looked amused. "Yes," he replied. "But you cannot press any charges against him, as it is not in the rule book that you may not escape from the Sick Bay- in fact, there was a section dedicated to rewards for helping fellow soldiers-"

"That is out of the question, completely!" exploded the Sergeant. "As though Captain Wolf wasn't enough. I would have agreed to let Fox get a reward for going after you in the dark forest while you were unconscious behind that tree, but after his stunt last night, I'd say no. No charges, no reward. Fair."

The Sergeant squinted at Alexei. "But unfortunately, the same cannot be said for you. You have caused the K- Unit camp nothing but trouble, and for that you will pay." The Sergeant's eyes glinted maliciously.

"What about Snake?" said Alexei, changing the topic. "He helped Fox find me in the forest. So did Wolf. In fact, Wolf helped me twice- and all he got was a silver medal."

"_ALL he got!_" spluttered the Sergeant. "Have you any idea the treasure he has won? How much that silver medal is worth?"

Alexei rolled his eyes. "Alright. But Snake-"

"Snake did not rescue you from any _immediate_ danger; though there _was _danger. The rule book states the medal is to be awarded if only the -"

"There's still the the gold star," insisted Alexei, feeling annoyed.

A gold star symbolised the talent of a soldier. To be a Unit Captain, you had to have at least three gold stars. Wolf had three; Eagle had one; the rest had none. Once you had five gold stars, you were in running for the Commander's post.

"And there _is _a rule in the rule book that states- " continued Alexei, but the Sergeant interrupted him.

"Alright, alright, I will review the case and bring the decision on vote at the Council. Happy?" snapped the Sergeant.

A concealed something hidden among the grass winked. A small flash of blue light.

Alexei smiled. "Happy."

The Sergeant leaned in closer. "Good. Now let's talk about your punishment."

It was clear that he liked to torment soldiers rather than award them. Alexei wasn't surprised. Being a Sergeant, you always had to fear the day, if the soldiers under your command suddenly rise to a position with higher authority, then come back for revenge.

"What punishment will you have this time, Horse? Looks like a swim in the river is not enough." The Sergeant tapped his forehead with his right pointer as he considered Alexei's brazen stare. A slow smile spread across his features. He had the perfect solution.

"Your fellow K- Unit members will decide your punishment, then- since you were the one who brought them so much trouble," he decided, smiling nastily.

"And so many medals," muttered Alexei under his breath, silently marvelling at how the Sergeant manipulated his soldiers.

"What was that?" he snapped.

"Nothing, sir," said Alexei wearily. "Nothing to get jumpy about."

* * *

><p>Alexei was then confined back to bed for five hours.<p>

So much for his being nice.

Lying awake doing nothing while hundreds of questions was racing through your mind might be boring for an average teenager, but for a SCORPIA undercover agent, ex- MI6 spy, it was nothing short of excruciating. Boredom could kill.

Alexei reached into his pocket and brought out Ian Rider's watch. Besides the 'R' carved on it, he did not recogonise any other indication on the watch that proved that it had belonged to Ian Rider- but as the watch had been specially made in Russia, Alex was pretty confident that it was no coincidence.

Then suddenly, something in his mind clicked. Clues. He had searched the underground room for clues, thoroughly- but he had forgotten about something. The man had been concealing himself in the shadows of the end of the cavern when he fired that shot. Alexei hadn't thought to look there yet.

His sense of curiousity took over his rationality again, and not for the first time, Alexei quickly dressed to prepare himself for another escape. Part of him was horribly aware of the trouble he would end up in if he was discovered missing yet again, but he didn't care. Not now, when his mystery was not solved.

He went to his room door and tried to open it, but no avail. He was locked in, just as expected.

He checked his wristwatch. Eight twenty- five, night. Perfect.

He slipped into the bathroom, turned on the tap of the sink and locked the door from the inside. The door knob took some persuasion, but he managed in the end to shut the door from the outside. Now the toilet was effectively unaccessible. He then switched on the lights in the bathroom.

The door of his room suddenly emitted a green light. The nurse had came to check on him. In a flash of lightning, Alexei ducked down beneath the bed.

When the nurse entered and noticed Alexei's bed empty, and the bathroom lights switched on, she automatically assumed he was inside. Just in case, she neared the door and listened.

The trickling of water in the bathroom seemed to convince her, and she turned round to leave the room.

By that time, Alexei was already walking out of the hospital, a stolen white coat hanging loosely off his shoulders.

* * *

><p>Back at the cavern, Alexei was running a finger across the rocks, where the shot hit its mark a few days ago. The shot had richrocketed off the hard rock and hit a tree, which caused a minor explosion like a firework. Alexei knelt down beside the slightly blackened plants that indicated where the shot had hit it.<p>

He fingered them, and retrieved his finger, which was covered with ash. He was right then- the shot the man had fired wasn't a bullet or anything meant to kill, just a loud warning exploding firework.

He got up and dusted himself.

Suddenly, there were loud rustling footsteps overhead, as though someone was walking across the terrain. Alexei started, then fled towards the trapdoor. He yanked it open and jumped into the underground room, slamming the hatchet close behind him.

The problem was, there were already a few people in there waiting for him.

Before he could even protest, three men pounced on him; one grabbing his arms, the other strangling him and forcing him to the ground; the third tied a blindfold over him. In three seconds, it was all over. He was thrown roughly to the floor, and his head met concrete.

"That's the guy that's been spying," said one of them in an ugly voice. "Let's deal with him."

"Shall we bury him alive, like we did the others?" another voice asked.

"No."

Alexei's heart lurched at the sound of that voice. With fear or curiousity, he didn't know.

"I would like to have a word in private with him," said the same tilting Russian accent.

It was clear that the men did not dare to protest, although they seemed against the idea. There was a shuffling of feet, then a door slammed behind them, plunging the room into silence.

For a moment, no one spoke, then Alexei broke the silence. "You're alive," he said.

The same familiar voice did not confirm nor deny the statement. "You're working for SCORPIA," said the voice again.

Alexei tensed. "What do you want?" he asked coldly.

"You do not need to worry, then- we are on the same side," continued the voice. Alexei sharpened his senses. The man seemed to be pacing quietly around as he spoke.

"You're dead," said Alexei. "I saw you go down on Air Force One."

The voice chuckled again. "So, my suspicions were right. You have a lot more to learn, _Horse."_

Alexei heard footsteps drawing nearer.

"You'll never find me again, I assure you," said the voice, suddenly closer than before, "But doubtless we will meet again. Keep your eyes open in the camp. You'll find who you're searching."

Alexei scowled. "I've already found you," he pointed out.

There was a shot, then Alexei knew nothing more.

* * *

><p>By some miracle, Fox managed to find Alexei before the authorities did. He had dropped in to check on Alexei after a few grueling jobs, and found Alexei's bed empty. He knew at once what had happened when he found Alexei's uniform gone, and the bathroom door locked. Immediately, he tracked Alexei down to the forest cavern, and found him stirring blurrily on the forest floor.<p>

"Horse! You alright?" he asked, alarmed. He knelt down beside the boy and helped him up.

Alexei managed a weak smile. "Yeah. Stupid me."

Fox frowned. "What in the world happened to you?"

"I'll tell you later," answered Alexei vaguely, getting up to his feet. He checked his wristwatch and cursed.

"Is the jeep on its way?" he asked.

"No," answered Fox, amused. "I dropped in to fetch you back- you're discharged by now- and found you missing, so I grabbed your stuff and tracked you down here. No one knows you're gone."

Alexei smiled, relieved. "Thanks." Then suddenly he remembered something. "How did the interview go just now?" he asked.

"All charges dropped, thanks to you," Fox said, smiling as he grasped Alexei's hand and shook it, as though to congratulate himself.

Alexei shrugged. "It would have been so according to the rule book. And if you _did _get into trouble, it would be entirely my fault."

"It would be _my _fault though if you got lost in the forest, fell off the cliff and died," pointed out Fox.

"So in other words, everyone is at fault," smiled Alexei.

Fox shook his head. "No, because- " he broke off. "Oh whatever," he finished almost at once. "This 'fault' thingy is twisting my head. And by the way, I suppose you noticed- we planted a recording device in the interrogation tent."

Alexei nodded. "I saw the light winking. It was pretty ill- concealed- I'm surprised the Sergeant didn't notice it."

Fox laughed. "Eagle planted it. He's not much good at stealth- just brave and daring. But he was the only one that had access to the tent."

"Do you mean that the entire K- Unit was listening in on my conversation with the Sergeant?" asked Alexei, a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"Yup," said Fox nonchalantly.

"Oh no," groaned Alexei. "That's... horrible."

Fox continued grinning. "That was a very nice thing you did for Snake. And Wolf too. Defending them to the very -"

"No!" moaned Alexei. "Stop it. I only did it because the Sergeant was not being fair, and that I don't want to owe them anything."

Fox shrugged, copying the action from the Alexei. "Explain that to them later, then. But for now, let's get back to the camp, before the Sergeant decides not to trust us and sends a jeep after us again. That would be the third time."

Alexei smiled at that, and together they headed back for the K- Unit camp site. To Alexei's surprise, as they approached the familiar clearing, K- Unit camp site was now barely recogonizable. The trees surrounding the clearing were decorated with banners, so were the tents- with confetti, glitter and everything else Alexei never expected to see at a SAS soldier training ground camp site.

"We're throwing a party today," said Fox, smiling. "Or campfire, if you like it. Usually, we don't have campfires unless there's something to be joyful about, like passing a test or at the end of every training program."

"So what's the occassion today?" asked Alexei wearily.

"You'll soon find out," said Fox vaguely.

No sooner than when they approached the camp site, Snake and Eagle were seen prancing around the place, getting out guitars Alexei never knew they kept in their tents, flutes and what not.

"They hid all of that in the tent," said Alexei, feeling rather overwhelmed as Eagle produced another banner, this one was a drawing of a wolf crowned with a bejewelled tiara.

Fox laughed. "You have no idea."

Eagle looked up and saw both of them approaching. He bounded over, his customary liveliness expressed in his every step.

"Hello- Horsey! Fox- can you help me find Snake? He's taking a suspiciously long time. And Horse- can you help me carry that huge stack of food somewhere nearer to where the fire will be?"

Alexei swallowed and cast Eagle a weird glance. This was totally abnormal behaviour coming from Eagle.

Eagle did not return the glance. He merely said a simple "Come on," before leading them over to the patch of grass where a huge pile of firewood was stacked in the middle. Feeling rather self- conscious, Alexei helped Eagle with the sack of food, and staggered under the weight.

"This is absolutely ridiculous," said a loud voice among the trees. "Get that _thing _off me!"

Alexei looked up and choked back his laughter. Snake was leading a blindfolded Wolf towards the campfire with much difficulty, as the SAS soldier captain was flailing his arms wildly and smacking Snake's head repeatedly, yelling "Stop this stupid joke!" all the time. So much for their surprise party.

Eagle seemed unperturbed by the scene.

"And now with the main character here... let the campfire begin!" he cheered, and like a magician at work, three sparks flew from the flintstones he was rubbing. The sparks ignited the dried leaves scattered all over the firewood. A magical kind of silence fell across the camp as the sparks slowly spread, forming a ring of fire around the pile of firewood, before it suddenly burst into a blinding, golden flame, much to everyone's cheers.

Wolf's blindfold was removed the moment the sparks burst into flame, so the glare of the fire nearly blinded him. He stumbled back a few steps and cursed. Fox laughed, so did Alexei. Wolf's expression was too comical to escape their laughter.

Eagle and Snake seemed to be leading the cheers, making animalistic noises as they hooted and clapped. Fox rolled his eyes. "The pair gets worse every year," he whispered to Alexei, who was sitting beside him.

"What is this?" spluttered Wolf, more of shock and surprise than anything else.

"A party in camp," supplied Fox.

"Campfire!" cried Eagle, grinning as he brandished a branch which had a spark on its tip, like a wand.

"What for?" asked Wolf again.

"To celebrate! Wolf, the winner of the silver medal!"

The cheers started again, and this time Fox too, joined in. Only Wolf remained silent as he glanced across the merry flames and looked at Alexei.

Their eyes inevitably met. There was an awkward pause as the cheers slowly died down, and Eagle stood up solemnly.

"Of course, there is something else," he began. "To thank Horse for his quick wit and timely action... Wolf has his career saved, and he won the silver medal because of him. Again, Snake was also awarded the Gold Star due to Horse. So I'd like to welcome Horse again, officially and willingly this time, to become one of us in K- Unit."

Silence was met at his words. Alexei stared, dumbstruck at the figures surrounding him.

"Me, Snake and Fox have agreed to this," continued Eagle, who was watching Wolf closely. "But you are our Captain, Wolf, so the decision is still in your hands."

Alexei couldn't bear to look at Wolf. The words '_I am so dead' _kept replaying in his mind, sinking his feelings. Help. Where was the nearest exit route? One led to the Sick Bay- the other to the Sergeant's tent. Brilliant.

"I agree."

Shock paralysed his system. Alexei thought he could faint. He snapped his head up and stared in bewilderment at Wolf, who was looking uncomfortable yet determined at the same time.

"Excellent," said Eagle, grinning slightly now. "But of course, we'll have to ask you, too, Horse."

Fox nudged Alexei, and taking the hint, Alexei slowly stood up to meet Eagle's solemn gaze.

"Would you be willing to forget our past misunderstandings," he began, "Pranks, tortures and attempts to make your life hell at the camp, and start anew with us in K- Unit?"

Alexei remained silent; everyone's stares were on him now.

"We'll just call in even- stevens. A truce, if you like it," continued Eagle. "We will not torment you, and you will remain in our camp if you like."

Alexei's eyes met Wolf's. Flashes whizzed past his mind; scenes of when they nearly drowned him, when Wolf betrayed him and left him suspended at the cliffs and when they ruined Ian's compass filled his mind. But then he remembered Fox's encouragement, his smiles, his unfailing help; his shock at Eagle's sudden attempt at being nice; Snake's agreement to receive him into the family of K- Unit once again. He gazed steadily at the SAS soldier Captain, who was looking at him with an odd mixture of emotions on his face, and felt the comfortable weight of the new compass resting in his jacket pocket.

His hand slipped into his pocket unconsciously, and touched the piece of paper containing Wolf's untidy scrawl. Remembered the time he woke on Wolf's back. His anxiety as he drove the jeep madly to find them.

They could deserve one last chance.

"Yes," he said at last, the flames dancing merrily across his face as he smiled. "I agree."

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I was really busy with my homework and stuff, plus the exams are just round the corner! What do you think of this chapter? Please leave me a thought!**

**Take care,  
>Epsilon Scorpii<strong>


	7. Chapter 7: Fire

**¬ Last One Standing ¬  
><strong>_Chapter Seven:  
>Fire<em>

_DISCLAIMER: I_ own nothing of Anthony Horrowitz's characters. Here's just an ordinary 14 year old girl wishing she does. Hope you enjoy the story!

P.S.: And thank you for all your hearty support, your reviews really meant a lot!

* * *

><p>The party last night was a total sucess for a good thirty minutes before the Sergeant came stomping in to gatecrash the campfire. It was a great disappointment, as the sausages, bread and fish were just roasting nicely, and Wolf had been looking forward to a real meal after thriving on gruel and bread for so many days.<p>

When they were ordered to collect all the food in the tray and hand them over, suddenly an idea sparked in Eagle's devious mind. He quickly shot over to his tent and brought out a bottle of barbeque sauce and pepper.

"Eagle! Drop that bottle at once!" commanded the Sergeant. "What do you think you are doing?"

"I want to keep the bottle," he explained as he upended sauce and pepper all over the sausages and bread. "So I'll let you have the sauce inside instead."

Snake chortled and burst into ill- concealed laughter. Fox tried his best not to grin. Wolf was biting his cheeks hard.

Alexei wondered what was so funny about it.

"One more chance," said the Sergeant angrily, brandishing his finger in their direction. "If you put a toe out of line, conjuring this stupid party business, all of you are in for suspension. This is our SAS training ground, for goodness' sake!"

He yelled the last word at them, then turned away to stalk off into the forest. Immediately, all four K- Unit members burst into racous laughter, rolling over the floor as they did so. Alexei stared at them. He had never seen them laugh or smile the way they did now- as though they were just normal adults smiling over some private joke.

"The Sergeant's allergic to pepper," explained Fox, grinning wickedly. "We found that out few years ago. Now that the pepper is upended all over the food-"

"- he won't want them anymore," finished Snake. "Brilliant, Eagle!"

Eagle gave a royal wave then helped himself to three sausages in one go. When the pile of food was finally passed over to Alexei, only one quarter of it was left.

That night, when all the rest had retired to their respective camps, Alexei quietly pulled on his jacket and sneaked out of the tent, unnoticed by anyone. Breathin in the cold night air, he wandered off into the dark forest, and soon came to the clear river in which he swam two days before.

Sighing, he sat down beside the river bank, staring at the endless flow of water, deep in thought. His mind felt like a total mess. A big part of him was now hating himself for that hasty decision in forgiving the K- Unit members. Was he being selfish? He didn't know. When everyone else was at the campfire staring at him just now, he had found them impossible to refuse; but now when he thought back on Eagle's words, he couldn't help feeling angry at both them and himself.

"_Call it even- stevens. A truce if you like it. _and _'forget our past misunderstandings'._

Was he an idiot? He certainly seemed like one.

Bullied from the first moment he stepped on the jeep, humiliated and nearly drowned in the river by those four unit members, and he was ready to start all over again with a simple sentence which _only implied _they were sorry?

Were they sorry at all? Or the thought of he could win them more medals set them to be nicer to him? Was this all a play, a fake?

"Enjoying the night air, Horse?"

Alexei whirled around and found Fox grinning at him.

"You really like your night adventures," commented Fox as he sat down beside Alexei by the river. "I thought you would go to the forest cavern when I saw you leave the tent, but it seems like this night is not one for adventuring."

Alexei said nothing. Fox stole a glance at him.

"It's about K- Unit, huh?"

Alexei neither denied nor confirmed it, but Fox noticed that his head drooped a little lower.

"I never expected you to agree either," said Fox truthfully. "With your character, I was imagining Eagle to get slapped in the face. But I suppose it was a wiser choice to accept their apology when they offer it. If you'd rejected them, they're so going to kill you the next morning." Fox thought for a while. "Maybe holding back is a way to win a battle you can't win as well?"

"That's it, it wasn't like that!" said Alexei frustratedly. "I _was _ready to forgive them, after everything they did, at that blasted moment! I really don't know why. This is so pathetic," he muttered, looking away.

"Are you always this lonely?" asked Fox abruptly, looking at the younger figure crouching beside him.

"What?" asked Alexei, confused.

Fox grinned. "It's just that you don't seem to have a lot of experience with friends, no offense."

"What's that got to do with anything," muttered Alexei, turning his head away. "And _no, _I wasn't this sad, pathetic and lonely before."

"That's your defensive self speaking for you," said Fox in his irritating know- it- all way Alexei started to discover. "Judging by your character, you wouldn't have answered my question unless I had asked you again and demanded for an answer. By the fact that you- "

"Shut up, psychologist," said Alexei irritably before he could stop himself.

Fox laughed. "You could call me that."

They sat together in silence for a while before Fox spoke again. "Actually, Wolf and the rest aren't really that bad, you know."

Alexei snorted. "Right. Like betraying, attempting murder and humiliation doesn't count."

"Nobody was eager to drown or humiliate others when we first entered the SAS soldier team either," said Fox. "It was just how things were, and we sort of adapted to it to survive the course. Did Eagle ever mention the first unit he was ever assigned to? They chucked him into a wolverine pit for one entire night, binded and blindfolded. Then he nearly got suspended after enduring that night and miraculously surviving. And that's not the worst of it. So if I put it simply, you are considered fortunate to be placed in K- Unit."

"Just because others are mean doesn't mean it's right for you to do the same," shot Alexei, feeling more and more annoyed at himself by the minute.

"I won't say we're nice seniors, but I'm pretty confident that we're among the best over here," said Fox, smiling.

"What about you?" said Alexei. It sounded more like a mutter.

"I'd like to think of myself as a better senior than the rest of them," grinned Fox. "Truth to be told, I don't have much experience with friends either. You see, my psychological knowledge made me so keen on dissecting others years back that people either hated or were scared away by me. Wolf used to hate me for it, but I think he's got used to it."

"It? You mean who tried to dissect Wolf's brain, then confronted him about his feelings, character and what not?" asked Alexei, looking amused.

"Unfortunately so," confirmed Fox with a grave nod of his head. "You could imagine how he reacted."

"How did you guys get along, then?" asked Alexei in spite of himself.

"Badly, at first. I was immature and rather stupid at the age of 18, when I first entered SAS. I was immediately thrown into the same unit as Wolf, and for the first three years he hated me and treated me the same way he did you. After five years, I think the training must have got to me, for I spoke very little and was mostly absorbed by my books. Then Snake joined our unit. The Sergeant then decided to let us form our own unit, so we moved out of E- Unit and formed K- Unit instead. Wolf handpicked Eagle from the ranks- he's the youngest among us all. So there you have it, the legendary K- Unit."

"So... you're all the best of friends?"

"It might seem so, and I suppose they _are _my best friends- after all, we've been together for about eight years and I don't have other friends anymore. But even so, I imagine it'd still be awkward for us to go to one another's house for a party or talk about things other than weaponry and training. We're pretty close... but we've never done things out of the ordinary soldier in- training role."

"Oh," said Alexei.

"I suppose things will be better now, that you've both came to a truce," said Fox, looking into the distance.

"I hope," muttered Alexei. "Or I'll hate myself so much I'll commit suicide."

* * *

><p>Alexei noticed that Eagle meant what they said by 'even- stevens'. It seemed as though they only acted weirdly nice that night just for him to accept their truce offer. They made no effort to be nice <em>now <em>that their mission was accomplished, but they were not unpleasant either. They just ignored him altogether. More than once, Alexei would noticed Wolf throwing weird looks at him, which he pretended not to see.

At first, Alexei would always sit apart from the group during mealtimes or training sessions, or during their rare free period, but after Fox went over to keep Alexei company for more than ten times, Alexei began to do everything together with them as a group, but it never escaped Wolf's attention that Alexei _always always _sat with Fox.

For some reason, Wolf felt rather irritated at this. Everytime he wanted to talk to Fox, _Horse _was always hovering about, and when Horse tried to move away like he should when Wolf approached, Fox brushed _him _away and followed Horsey instead.

Without noticing it, the frequent jibes and jeers started again, and the regular insults Wolf used to throw at Alexei came about so naturally he totally forgot about the truce they had. Alexei ignored him most of the time, and Wolf felt all the more irritated and inclined to insult the youngest unit member. Snake and Eagle, however, kept their promise and ignored Alexei altogether, although more than once or twice they laughed and Wolf's jokes about 'Horsey'.

Alexei, meanwhile, had more worrying things on his mind- for example the recruitment date, when he'd be qualified as a spy in MI6, and his mission would officially start. SCORPIA had given him a choice of three ways to contact them without raising suspicion once he had secured the job of an MI6 spy. It was approximately three months to the recruitment date, and he'd still have to perform reasonably well for MI6 to recruit him, although he was sure they would.

He had already been in K- Unit for about two weeks. On the first week, they'd been bullying him every single minute of the day; for the first three days of the second week, everyone except Fox ignored him, and for the rest of the week, Wolf started his jeering all over again. Alexei couldn't care less so long as Wolf kept out of his way, although he was starting to hate himself more and more every time he heard the Captain's jeers.

Start over again? Right.

It was Friday of the second week now- Alexei's turn to help with the Unit Chores, like collecting water, firewood and what not. Alexei wasn't even sure of what he was supposed to do, but Fox promised that he'd help him when the time came.

That evening, Alexei, Wolf and Snake took their turns to find firewood in the forest. As the three left into the woods, Alexei soon felt distinctly uncomfortable walking with the two guys that didn't like him anyway, so he quickly turned off into another route. He had his compass with him, so he was reasonably confident that he wouldn't get lost.

However, no sooner than when five or six minutes had passed, he heard a distant shout, and the sound of something exploding. He whirled around, gazing into the distance. What happened?

It was then when he smelt it- the strong stench of acrid smoke, billowing his way. Coughing, Alexei immediately raced towards the direction in which the smoke was coming from, forgetting even to drop the firewood he was holding.

Shock paralysed his system as he arrived at the scene- _the camp. _The entire K- Unit camp, every tent and belonging, was ablaze.

Where was Eagle and Fox? Were they trapped?

He threw the firewood to the ground and made to dash towards the tents. That was when a strong hand gripped him tightly around his neck.

"What do you think you're doing!" said a furious voice behind him, and Alexei found himself looking at Wolf's livid yet fearful face.

"I didn't- " began Alexei, but Wolf threw him roughly to the ground and made to burst through the tents.

"EAGLE!" he bellowed, trying to yank open the tent flap. "Fox? Are you in there?"

He cursed when his sleeve caught fire, but it was soon extinguished. Alexei was just about to get up when he noticed a small something in the middle of the ground amidst the fire- something that seemed suspiciously like-

"Horse, what- "

"Move away- Wolf," said Alexei, eerily calm as he tried to inch away from the device quickly.

"What-" began Wolf again.

"NOW!"

Alexei knocked full force into Wolf behind him, causing the pair to crash into a bush, at the same time something exploded and set fire to the very same bush. Quickly, both scrambled to their feet- and promptly knocked into the Sergeant and his retrieval team.

"They will take care of the fire," said the Sergeant, looking at them both grimly. "As for you both, you'll have to explain yourselves to me right now."

"Explain?" burst Wolf, his face white with fury despite the heat. "_He's _the traitor- _he _set fire to the camp!"

Alexei stared in disbelief at Wolf, whose finger was pointed rigidly at him.

"Me? Are you barking mad? I arrived about the same time as you did!" shouted back Alexei, his anger burning.

"Oh yeah? Don't think I didn't see you," said Wolf, a mocking laugh escaping his lips, which made him look all the more demented and scary. "You threw firewood into the fire, didn't you?"

"That was a mistake," said Alexei, his voice laced with anger. "I had just collected the firewood when I smelt smoke, so I ran back here."

"Then why didn't you drop the firewood first?" asked Wolf, now eerily calm as well. "Why hold onto them while you run back here?"

"It never occurred to me."

"_Never occurred to you? _Anyone with any sense will surely have-"

Suddenly, a yell came across the field. "We've found somebody!"

Everyone whirled around, argument forgotten. Alexei was the first to run over before the Sergeant could stop him.

An unconscious figure was carried out of the tent, his hair strewn across his face.

"Fox," Alexei breathed.

"Call the medics, quick," said one of the men to his team members. "His wounds look pretty serious."

One minute later, a jeep screeched to a halt at the site. The flames were already completely doused. Fox was carried on a stretcher into the jeep to be sent to the Sick Bay for emergency treatment.

Wolf rounded on Alexei, his eyes practically burning with anger.

"Was Fox getting hurt part of your deception as well?" he asked in a soft dangerous voice.

"Fox was my _best _friend out of all of you," shot back Alexei. He no longer felt angry; just drained and a sick pang of loss. "If anyone should get hurt, I'd have picked you- don't you know that?"

Wolf's eyes widened with anger, and the next moment, Alexei was already pinned to the ground, his lip bleeding.

"CAPTAIN WOLF!" yelled the Sergeant. "I command you to release your hold on Horse!"

Wolf made no move to obey. He continued glaring at Alexei, his fist drawn back as if to punch Alexei again.

"NOW!"

Reluctantly, Wolf let go of the youngest K- Unit member and stood up, breathing heavily. Alexei picked himself up slowly, his head swaying from the stench of the smoke and the stinging blow on his cheek.

"You both follow me, now," said the Sergeant in an equally dangerous voice. He started to walk towards the jeep, but Alexei stopped in his tracks.

"Where's Eagle?" he asked, directing the question at Wolf. "And Snake?"

Wolf looked around the area. The retrieval team were already clearing up the ashes. No one else was there; only ashes were left.

* * *

><p>Despite Wolf's many accusations, in the end, Alexei was declared free of all charges as there was no evidence to pinpoint that Alexei had set fire to the camp at all. Snake turned up an hour later, saying that he had arrived at the scene to find ashes, and the retrieval had told him where to find Wolf and Alexei.<p>

"Fox's still unconscious," said Wolf to Snake as soon as the Sergeant had allowed them to go. "And Eagle's missing."

"But he remained at the camp with Fox," protested Snake. "Surely he should've been there... unless the culprit who set fire to the camp decided to kidnap him."

"Seeing as the culprit is sitting right beside us, I don't think that idea is very probable, unless he managed to drag Eagle into the forest and drown him in the river," said Wolf cuttingly, throwing a glare in Alexei's direction.

Alexei chose to ignore him.

He flashed back on the time he arrived at the camp and found the place ablaze. Had there been someone there? The culprit had probably only taken three minutes or so the set the entire tent ablaze, so he must have been waiting for Wolf, Alexei and Snake to leave the camp before he'd done it.

And the small exploding device looked vaguely familiar- in fact, he'd last seen it-

Alexei jumped up violently, his eyes wide. Without a word, bolted out of the tent and raced into the forest, leaving Wolf and Snake behind, shocked.

"He didn't just burst into tears, did he?" asked Snake, a laugh suggested in his voice.

"Who cares?" said Wolf.

* * *

><p>Alexei ran back to the forest cavern, his breath coming in gasps as he burst through the foliage. He soon reached the rock where the explosive device had hit and marked, and quickly scanned the ground.<p>

Purely out of luck, the little metal cylinder which contained the explosives was still on the floor, albeit in two pieces. Alexei picked them up and examined them in his hand. He was right; they were the ones he saw back at the K- Unit camp. Hurriedly he pocketed the evidence.

He looked back and his eyes automatically fell on the bush where the trapdoor was set into the ground. Would there be anyone inside? He hadn't forgotten his last encounter in the underground room; he had ended up unconscious outside the cavern. Luckily Fox had found him at that time.

Eventually, his curiousity got the better of him, and Alexei tiptoed cautiously towards the trapdoor, half- expecting it to burst open to reveal a big hairy monster. Okay, maybe not. Just a shotgun or pistol aimed at his heart? He didn't want to know.

He leaned down and pressed his ear gingerly onto the cold metal, then threw open the trapdoor. Looking around cautiously, Alexei once again lowered himself into the room.

It looked exactly the same as how he had found it before; the furniture, the boxes left where he and Fox had touched them on their last visit. He cast an eye around the room, and his eyes automatically adjusted on the window binds again. They were lowered down.

Would it contain another letter?

Alexei didn't dare hope. He crossed the room quickly and yanked down the line.

Immediately, alarms burst through the entire room, deafening Alexei as it sent his system temporarily into shock. A letter falling onto the floor reminded Alexei of where he was, and as quick as lightning he swooped and caught it. He raced towards the ladder to where he had come in from, but already he knew it was too late.

The SAS retrieval squad were already on their way. They had been stationed all around the forest on double alert following the destruction of K- Unit camp. The nearest squad couldn't have been more than 20 metres away from where he was. Alexei remembered ducking and weaving through the forest to avoid the retrieval team when he came to the forest cavern.

Swearing under his breath, Alexei cast the room one final glance before giving up hope of hiding. He'd just have make a run for it. Hopefully it would take the retrieval squad some time before they found the entrance to the cavern.

He swung himself upwards, not bothering to slam the trapdoor shut- the alarms would guide them down there anyway. And he didn't have time to cover the trapdoor entrance with mud.

The first of the retrieval squad had apparently found the cavern entrance.

"This way!" he called, his hand bursting through the ivy. Alexei swallowed.

Then he saw the blind spot buried amongst the thick foliage and shadows- where he had been found by Wolf, Snake and Fox, unconscious, two weeks ago when he fell off the cliff. Fox had said that they only managed to find him by following the some blood and grass trails. Hopefully the hiding spot was as reliable as Fox said it was.

As the retrieval team burst into the forest cavern, Alexei threw himself into the shadows behind the tree. Trouble was, someone was already there.

Eagle.

Alexei's stomach lurched as he took in the man. He was practically covered with blood. There was a nasty gash running down the side of his cheek, not to mention various bruises and cuts raining down his arms and back. The SAS soldier uniform was also singed and splattered with blood. Briefly, Alexei wondered if he was still alive.

Alexei shook the man gently, but no avail. The most pressing thing came to his mind- what should he do with Eagle in emergency need of aid, and the retrieval team just metres away? He could call them for medic help, he assumed, but that would land him in loads of trouble. He would be considered found at the crime scene.

Although Alexei wasn't sure if this would be considered a crime scene at all. As far as he was concerned, it was only a furnished underground room located in Brecon Beacons that no one knew of, except for... the men that lived in there. But Brecon Beacons was considered a private training ground, so how could the men possibly build something in the middle of the fores?

He crouched in the shadows with Eagle's limp form, checking the man's pulse. It was beating so faintly Alexei could barely feel it.

The news spread like a ripple through the retrieval squad- they had found something. Alexei overheard something about a letter stuck _behind _the window binds and briefly wondered why a second letter had fallen out from the window binds when he had pulled them down.

Then the call came. "HQ contact, R1!"

R1? Emergency call to Headquarters. Brilliant, thought Alexei.

"Order, search the area!" came the second order.

_Great, _thought Alexei savagely. What had the letter they discovered say to transform the room into a crime scene?

Then he noticed a green rope tied up to a branch in front of him. He squinted his eyes to follow the trail. The rope camouflaged brilliantly with its surroundings, but Alexei finally managed to figure it out. It looked like an escape route.

To where? The only entrance to the forest cavern was the one retrieval squad was currently blocking, unless there was another way...

Quickly, he grasped the rope and with quite an effort, hauled himself up. The entire rope seemed to be looping through the shadows, invisible. He crouched low, and feeling much like Tarzan in the Disney movies, he swung himself towards the next tree. His landing was not as silent as he would have liked it, but no one heard him.

After three minutes of concentration, Alexei finally found the second exit. The rope was tied to a branch outside of the cavern- Alexei could see it through a crack in the rocks. He poised it mid- air, wondering his next move. Gingerly, he let go of one hand and gently pushed the rocks. Three of them fell away easily, clearing an easy undetectable path ahead of him.

It was ao brilliant how the entire thing was constructed to fit so perfectly in the shadows that Alexei wondered who the architect was. The men he met in the underground room? Most probably. The rope looked fairly new.

Then with a sickening pang of guilt, he remembered Eagle. He couldn't just escape now, by himself, and leave Eagle behind, could he? For all he knew, it could already be too late. If he turned himself over now, there might still be a chance of him saving Eagle.

If he managed to get Eagle over to the second exit...?

No, that was virtually an impossible idea. Eagle was already injured enough as he was; he didn't want to aggravate his wounds- plus, how was he supposed to drag _Eagle, _of all people? Pounds of muscle plus bones. Not to mention how much he ate every single day. That was out of the question.

Every second he wasted might cost Eagle his life, Alexei reminded himself. In the end, he simply sighed in defeat and let go of the green rope, walking into full view of the retrieval team. Many gasped in shock at his sudden appearance.

"What are you doing here? Who are you?" asked the first man, who seemed to be the officer in charge judging from his uniform.

"Horse, K- Unit," replied Alexei shortly. "Listen, I need-"

The man was looking Alexei up and down suspiciously. "You have blood on your uniform, I see," he said softly. "Not to mention, we found trails of blood in the room as well. You could be the murderer."

"_Murderer?" _repeated Alexei, shocked. "Listen, my team member-"

Before he'd even managed to defend himself, handcuffs were slid neatly over his wrists. Three men forced him to the ground, pining his hands behind him, then they cuffed his ankles together as well. Alexei struggled violently, but no avail.

"Eagle needs help!" he called desperately at them, but none of them listened. "He's my fellow comrade- he's just in those shadows-"

"Don't think we're falling for that one," said the officer, sticking a needle in his arm.

"No, you don't understand-!"

In his desperation to break free, Alexei struggled and rolled over, causing the needle to break half-way through his skin in his right wrist. Already, he felt his strength leaving him even as the pain shot through his arm. But they hadn't fed him all of the medicine. He had little energy left.

He used his legs to kick the officer hard in his knee- joints, a trick which Ian Rider had taught him before. Before he could gasp in surprise, the officer fell to the floor beside Alexei, cursing. His transmitter device was knocked out of his grasps, falling onto the floor beside him.

As quick as lightning, Alexei bashed his head against the big red button three times. Four times, and that would be it- he could get through the Wolf's commuinication device.

He made to press it the fourth time, but someone already grabbed him and held him back. The officer kicked him hard, then bent to retrieve the device, but at the last moment, Alexei stuck his feet out again, as one last desperate attempt.

The officer stumbled, but he did not fall. Instead, he grasped the device a little too tightly and pressed the red button a fourth time.

"What?" snapped Wolf's voice from the device.

The officer looked alarmed. "Nothing, it was a mistake, Captain Wolf sir-"

"WOLF!" bellowed Alexei, but someone gagged him from behind.

"What was that you called me?" said Wolf's threatening voice.

Alexei could feel his strength leaving him. For a moment, he allowed himself to sink to the ground- and as the arms holding him released him slowly, he yelled, just as Wolf was turning off- "Find Eagle where you found me bef-!"

This time, the retrieval team did not miss. One shot in his arm, and Alexei fell, spinning helplessly into the darkness.

**A/N: That's the next chapter for you! Did you like it? Thanks for all your support! Next update shouldn't be coming until October, sadly, I think, after my exams are over.**

**Please drop me a thought and review! :D**

**Take care,  
><strong>


	8. Chapter 8: Traitor

**¬Last One Standing¬  
><strong>_Chapter Eight:  
>Traitor<br>_

_DISCLAIMER: _I own nothing of Anthony Horrowitz's characters. Here's just an ordinary 14 year old girl wishing she does. Hope you enjoy the story!

**Thank you so much for all your hearty support! Every single review was greatly valued and appreciated. Sorry for the long wait- so here's an extra long update to make it up to you!**

* * *

><p>Wolf was complaining about 'Horsey' to Snake all over again when his commuinicator beeped. Wolf immediately turned away from Snake and reached into his pocket. As soon as his left hand found the metallic object, he pressed the 'receive call' button on the device.<p>

"Yes, Captain Wolf here," he said, in what he assumed and knew was an intimidating tone.

There was a strangled squeak on the receiving end. "Captain Wolf sir-" a voice trilled, in high tones. Wolf grinned. He knew who it was- the timid retrieval unit leader- Riley. Riley was known to fear Captain Wolf above the Sergeant, something Wolf was very proud of.

Before Wolf could say anything else, however, a sudden yell burst through the speaker, causing Wolf to reel back, shocked.

"WOLF!" bellowed an irritatingly familiar voice.

Wolf couldn't believe his ears. There was a series of thumps and cries on the other end, but Wolf ploughed on nevertheless.

"What did you just call me?" he thundered into the microphone.

Riley's familiar stuttering returned. "Nothing, Captain Wolf sir! It was merely an accident-..."

But Riley's nervous voice suggested like something more than an accident, and it did not explain the thumps and cries Wolf heard on the other side. Plus, Wolf was pretty certain that it had been Alexei's voice that bellowed his name rudely just now. Before he could get to the bottom of things, however, he heard Riley's strangled cry.

Then the shouting started again. "Find Eagle where you found me bef-!"

The line went dead.

Wolf stared at the device in disbelief. It was only when Snake shifted behind him when he came to his senses.

"What was that all about?" asked Snake.

"I wish I knew myself," replied Wolf, looking irritable. "Sounds like Horsey got himself caught by retrieval. He wasn't supposed to leave the tent tonight."

"And what was that about Eagle?" pressed Snake.

Wolf lost his patience. "Didn't you hear me? I- DON'T - KNOW. Need me to spell it out for you?"

"Okay, okay, don't need to get so flustered," said Snake, raising his hands as though surrenderring.

Just then, the commuinicator beeped again. Wolf pressed the receive button immediately.

"Do you have anything to say about the situation just now, Riley?" he asked in a threatening tone.

"I-... apologise deeply, sir," said Riley's voice, trilling nervously. "It was all a mistake. I had them take him away already, sir."

"I assume the 'he' you refer to is Horse of K- Unit?" said Wolf, a smirk forming at the corner of his mouth.

Riley was silent for a moment. "I-..I don't know, sir."

"Never mind that. What did he mean just now, when he was shouting into the device?" questioned Wolf.

"Don't take notice of what he said sir, that man is mentally disturbed, he didn't mean anything but to displease and trouble you, sir," said Riley, his voice suddenly an octave higher.

"Too right," muttered Wolf under his breath. "Right, Riley- I want you to check... Riley? Riley?"

The line went static for a few moments before a harsh voice travelled through the speakers.

"Captain Wolf, is it?" said the Sergeant's unpleasant voice.

"Yes sir," said Wolf, containing himself with difficulty.

"I want you to keep your nose out of this business, understood? You are not to leave the tent. Your position is under supervision. Do not interfere with our business, or you'll be extremely sorry."

"What business?" said Wolf at once, but the line was dead already.

"Gah!" said Wolf angrily, throwing down the device. Snake was still eyeing Wolf with an unreadable expression.

"Let's go and find Eagle," suggested Snake, just for the sake of something to do. "Horse said we would be able to find him where we found him before- the forest cavern, I assume. And the way Horsey yelled it out like that- it makes me think that this might be urgent."

Wolf nodded and got up, leaving the commuinicator on the floor.

"I'll sneak out first," whispered Wolf. "You come out when I give you the whistle."

Snake nodded.

Heart beating fast for the first time in few days, Wolf grinned and neared the entrance flap. It was good to be back in action; any type of action. He listened intently for a few seconds, before chancing a small peek out of the tent flap.

"No one. Not a single soul," said Wolf, sounding rather disappointed at the lack of challenge. "No wonder Horsey could just burst out of the tent. No one was there to stop him at all."

Quickly, he got out- then noticed an entire squad of sentries heading towards their tent not so far away. Wolf swore.

"Snake, get out fast. The Sergeant's sent more sentries."

Snake didn't need telling twice. In a flash, he burst out of the tent flap. In ten seconds, he and Wolf were already walking briskly deep into the forest, the tall trees rising up to give them cover. No sentry could catch them now.

"Hurry up, it's thirty minutes' walk to the cavern from here," urged Wolf. "If Eagle is in any urgent situation, any delay could be fatal."

Wolf didn't want to mention it, but at the back of his mind, something gnawed at him. Clearly, someone had targeted K- Unit. First their tents were burnt, then Fox was greviously injured- then Eagle went missing. Horse was already caught by retrieval, not that he'd be any help anyway. So now it was only up to him and Snake to find Eagle. Wolf wondered if K- Unit could ever reunite again. With the exception of Horsey, of course.

"Thirty minutes' walk?" panted Snake, trying to keep up with Wolf, who was now half- jogging, half- running. "Forty- five minutes' run, more like. Makes no difference though, if Eagle is really in an urgent situation. By the time we reach there it'd probably be too late. I really think we should contact the Sergeant and tell him where to find Eagle."

"No can do," replied Wolf lightly, trying to save breath for the journey ahead. "The Sergeant's probably turned off his device already, and he won't listen to me."

"There must be other captains you can contact to relay the message. They can take action faster than us," pointed out Snake as they continued tearing past the trees.

Wolf growled. "The Sergeant took away my original commuinicator and gave me another lousy one just now. The commuinicator I left at the tent could only contact two people- one, the Sergeant who ignores my calls, and two, the low expendable retrieval unit leader Riley. At the end of the conversation between me and Riley, the Sergeant butted in and took away Riley's device anyway- so in short, your suggestion is no good at all."

Snake sighed and struggled to keep up. Wolf, the natural runner, was already pulling ahead by three metres, despite Snake's frantic efforts to stay close. Wolf's words were almost all lost on Snake.

Wolf took the opportunity of Snake's silence to think. Running, he claimed, calmed his mind. The forest was where he belonged. There, he could think properly- which was not a frequent occasion.

Why did the mysterious arsoner want to burn down specifically K- Unit's tent? And how could he have managed that? Security was tight on Brecon Beacons- not a single weapon went unchecked within its boundaries.

It was most probably an insider job. But where could the arsoner get such harmful- and such a large amount of explosive devices to blow up the entire tent?

Wolf racked his brains for a while- then suddenly, an idea blossomed in his mind, illuminating all the dark corners of his brain. Immediately, Wolf stopped short, as though he had hit a tree.

_Idiot! All the clues were there, why didn't you see them?_

The footprints. The rapid decrease of weaponry. It all made sense!

"Wolf, did you get hit or what?" panted Snake behind him. "I thought we were on a tight schedule?"

"The clues, Snake! I just found out how the arsoner... never mind," said Wolf, deciding that now was not the time. Now, it was time to find Eagle and group what was left of K- Unit. Annoying as Fox's deductions were, they were often true, and Wolf missed Fox's comments by his shoulder more than ever. It gave him a feeling of assurance. And there was something about Fox that made you trust the man implacably.

Wolf sighed. He wondered how Fox was faring at the Sick Bay now.

"Are you stopping for a bit?" asked Snake. "Thank goodness, I think I'm going to faint."

Snake had barely drawn up with Wolf again before Wolf pulled ahead with full speed all over again. Snake groaned.

"And here I thought for once in your life, you were going to be nice," he muttered.

* * *

><p>Twenty- eight minutes later, Wolf arrived at the forest cavern, his figure concealed behind a tangled heap of fallen branches and twigs. Much to his surprise, the forest cavern was abuzz with activity- the entrance was surrounded by the entire retrieval squad, and red lights blazed from numerous devices they held.<p>

Red lights? Emergency?

But if there was an emergency, why wasn't he alerted? He was a Captain, albeit one under supervision- but a captain nonetheless. They had no right to keep him in the dark so long as he did not hand in his badge.

The sight of the Sergeant's broad back angered Wolf, and in his fury, he promptly forgot all about being stealthy. He rose from the bushes like a nightmare creature, his eyes blazing, as he stomped over to the cavern. Snake, who had just arrived, took this as a division, and waited quietly behind a tree for his chance to slip into the forest cavern.

The Sergeant had saw Wolf coming. His face grew red, which was suffused with purple.

"YOU!" he bellowed. "What do you think you're doing, coming here! You are under supervision, Captain Wolf. You're not allowed to leave the tent!"

"And you, sir, are not at right to keep me in the dark about this entire situation either!" shot back Wolf. "Obviously, there is an emergency, and you did not notify me. I, as a Captain, have the right to know. You have defied the rule book too!"

The Sergeant opened and closed his mouth angrily, but no voice came out.

As everyone was now watching the pair, Snake took this as his opportunity to slip inside. He straightened his jacket, then sneaked towards where two retrieval sentries were standing guard, trying to assure himself that his black- and- green soldier uniform looked like their blue- and- black ones. Hopefully no one would look too closely before he could slip in.

The Sergeant had his back on Snake and naturally did not notice a thing. But Wolf caught Snake's eye.

_More distraction needed here, _Snake sent, hoping Wolf could read his expression.

Wolf could indeed get the gist of what Snake meant to say. He inhaled some air and Snake immediately knew what his friend was going to do. Yelling was Wolf's third best talent, after running and throwing insults. Needless to say, when he first started shouting the first syllable of his sentence, the Sergeant stepped half- a step back in shock, for he felt as though his ears were going to burst. Every eye was on them now, entranced by how the way things were developing, from a murder case to Captain Wolf turning up and yelling at the Sergeant.

Time to get going, Snake reminded himself.

Carefully, he scaled the wall of the forest cavern and quickly let himself in purposefully, nodding to the squad members he passed by. No one looked at him twice in the semi- darkness.

Once past the ivy that hung across the entrance of the forest cavern, Snake immediately flung himself into the shadows, where he had found Horse on his previous visit.

However, this time, there was another figure strewn on the floor, just like how Horse had been.

Feeling his pulse rate quicken, Snake looked at the man's face, and his breath hitched in his throat.

"Eagle," he whispered.

* * *

><p>Outside the cavern, Wolf's voice was starting to crack.<p>

"...and therefore, you do not have the right to leave me out of this!" he yelled, for good measure. "Do I make myself clear?"

Briefly, Wolf's insides quailed a bit- he'd never, so far in his career of a soldier, yell at his superior officer like that, and the fear of demotion hung about him, but was quickly supressed by fury.

"That's it!" yelled the Sergeant, his eyes wider than Wolf's. "I've had it with you. I don't care how brilliant you are. You are demoted! Possibly you'll be losing your career too!"

"No," said Wolf defiantly. "You'll need the Council's approval. You have no right to demote me."

"The Council has given me every right, Wolf," grinned the Sergeant unpleasantly. "All I need to do is make a few phone calls. They trust my judgement. You are demoted, Wolf, face that fact."

Wolf was about to say something else- that he had a silver medal now, and this demotion decision ought to be considered by MI6's Chief, Mr. Blunt himself- when Snake appeared, supporting a bloody and unconscious Eagle.

"I can't feel his pulse," Snake said directly to Wolf.

* * *

><p>"Wolf."<p>

"Go away."

"Wolf, listen to me."

"Leave me alone!"

It was ten minutes precisely after Eagle had been sent into the Emergency Ward. Wolf had said nothing throughout their entire journey in the jeep, his eyes were focused on his friend, who lay as quiet and still as a corpse.

In only one day, Wolf felt as though he had lost everything. His tent, his position, two of his closest partners. All that was left of K- Unit was truly him and Snake only. Wolf's hands curled into fist. He wanted badly to find the culprit; wanted to make the arsoner pay for what he did.

Which reminded him- the clues!

Without further hesitation, Wolf leapt up. "Be back later," he told Snake, then ran out of the corridor. The Sergeant hadn't forbidden Wolf and Snake to go anywhere after Wolf had yelled at him, so Wolf was at perfect liberty to go wherever he liked as of yet. Currently, the Sergeant was nowhere to be seen. Wolf imagined he was already back at the forest cavern, taking care of his 'business', whatever it was.

"Hey! Where are you going?" yelled Snake, much to the nurses' disapproval.

"A secret place, you wouldn't know where," was Wolf's vague reply, before he disappeared out of the doors.

* * *

><p>Every Captain, unknown to the others, was permitted access to a secret stash of weaponry locked in a secured underground storeroom in Brecon Beacons. The Captain was to sign the Official Secrecy Act before allowed down into the storeroom. Wolf had sworn not to tell any of his unit members about the weaponry room before, so he couldn't bring Snake down there, for fear of losing his position.<p>

Wolf stopped by the tent where he and Snake had been in an hour before. The commuinication device was still lying on the floor where Wolf had left it there previously. He rummaged around his rucksack for a while and found what he was looking for. Smiling grimly to himself, he quickly exited the tent and made for the weaponry room.

His preoccupied mind led Wolf's winged feet towards his destination in record time. He was careful to make sure no one was following him before he dived into one of the bushes. His fingers brushed away the mud and revealed a trapdoor. He punched in the ten digit code and waited impatiently for the portal to open. Five seconds later it did, and Wolf, not bothering to use the ladder, dropped in straight down, swinging the trapdoor shut behind him as he did so, a move which he had been perfecting. Behind him, the trapdoor sealed shut automatically with an pneumatic hiss.

The weaponry room had only two cameras, both of which were decades old and had not been used for a long time, so Wolf was reasonably confident no one would catch him carrying out his plans- unless, in the highly unlikely event, someone decided to venture into the weaponry room. Quickly, Wolf set to work, installing a new surveillance device of his own in the corner of the room. Any video feed could be immediately viewed on his 'very special electronic device'. It had been a present from Eagle last year, who was a fanatic of electronic gadgets. But truth to be told, Wolf was a novice at them. Fortunately, Eagle had forced Wolf to learn from him how to operate the device properly.

It was something like a web- cam. Once the camera Wolf planted detected a change, it would send out a strong signal, and Wolf would be able to view it on his 'Very Special and Bamboozling Device' screen.

The VSBD a.k.a. 'Very special and Bamboozling Device' was now in Wolf's pocket. After Wolf had double- checked that all was in full- functioning mode, he made his way to where the explosive devices were kept.

The packets of grenades and all explosives were wrapped in vacuum bags to prevent explosion before use. But most soldiers tend to risk their lives for the sake of easy access to their weapons when the need was urgent, so Wolf was not surprised to find empty plastic casings strewn across the floor. Then something caught his eye- footprints!

A clear set of footprints led over to where the firearms and explosives were stocked.

Only yesterday, Wolf had been to the weaponry room to collect a few grenades should he need them when he was in the forest. They were, after all, safety things Wolf liked to have with him everywhere he went. Then, he had noted the sudden decrease in the explosives stock, but he hadn't thought much about it. It wasn't any coincidence that K- Unit's camp was burnt down today.

He bent down to examine the footprints. They were muddy, and contained trampled... flowers?

Sure enough, there were yellow petals stuck in the mud, some blackened and trodden on, but there nevertheless.

The answer came to Wolf at once.

Suspect number one: J- Unit.

J- Unit's Camp site was a beautiful clearing with the same _yellow flowers. _Eagle had often complained jokingly why J- Unit was allowed to live in the best place of all, among the flowers, while they live among mosquitoes.

If the footprints belonged to the arsoner, he most probably had travelled across that clearing, and the only reason he'd be allowed to do so was if he was a unit member himself.

It could mean nothing, but Wolf considered it a good start. He confined the details to memory, then poked about the explosives.

Eight minutes later, Wolf found no more clues and decided to head back to the Sick Bay and tell Snake about his suspicions. Perhaps Snake would have better ideas; or even better, Fox may have woken up.

As agile as a monkey, Wolf climbed up the ladder and punched in the code before exitting the weaponry room again. He spared a moment using some mud to cover the entrance of the trapdoor before crawling out of the bush and sprinting back to the Sick Bay.

When Wolf reached the Sick Bay, however, no good news awaited him. Fox had not woken up, Eagle was still in the emergency ward, and Snake was nowhere to be found. The nurses informed him that Snake had left eight minutes earlier, after being sick of waiting for Wolf to return.

Sighing, Wolf retired to a bench to wait.

Suddenly, something in his pocket vibrated- _the device. _With trembling fingers, Wolf pulled out the device and tapped on the screen.

What he saw gave him the biggest shock of his life.

There, on the screen, Snake was in the weaponry room, and he was adding more 'clues' to the floor.

* * *

><p>Although it was a familiar feeling, Alexei did not enjoy the feeling of being knocked out. When he came to twenty minutes previously, he had quickly scaled the walls with his still binded hands and feet, but no avail. Even his limbs were shackled tightly together. There was no way out of the prison cell for him.<p>

Alexei blamed his own rashness. If only he knew better; he'd have run back to K- Unit and told Wolf and the others about Eagle instead. Alexei didn't even dare to think about his former unit member now. Could he possibly still live? Had Wolf found him, or did the retrieval man tell Wolf that it was nothing to worry about?

With these worrying thoughts, it was all the more excruciating not able to do anything, but there he was virtually helpless. All he could do was sit and breathe in the dingy air of the cell, reflecting what was happening around him.

So he sat there and waited for someone to get him. And at long last, when someone actually did, it was definitely not the person he expected to see.

The prison cell door was thrown open widely, and with more force intended. Light from five torches immediately scorched Alexei's eyes, and he had to turn his head away.

"Captain Wolf," protested one of the guards, but a large black figure barged into the cell all the same and cast a shadow over Alexei.

Slowly, Alexei looked up.

"You, Horse, are coming with me," was all he said. His expression was hidden in the dark, but his voice was weird, as though supressing strong emotions.

"NO!" cried one of the guards behind Wolf. "Sir, he is a murder suspect!"

"Trust me, he has murdered no one," said Wolf in a fierce, cold voice that Alexei had not heard before. "I'll take full responsibility for him."

Wolf bent down and hauled an unsteady Alexei to his shackled feet.

"Get those off him," snapped Wolf to the guards.

The guards shrugged; what could they do anyway? It was _Captain _Wolf's trouble. Not their fault. Two men immediately freed Alexei of his cuffs, and barely a second later, Wolf had propelled Alexei roughly by his arm out into the forest, the guards whispering behind their back.

Alexei was a bit too overwhelmed to speak, but now he decided to ask his questions.

"What's going on Wolf?" he asked. "Did you find Eagle? Where's Snake?"

Wolf suddenly stopped. He looked back, and his eyes were full with regret and intense fury, which nearly caused Alexei to step back a bit.

"You are taking Snake's place from now on," he said forcefully, his tone bitter and harsh. "Snake is no more."

"What?" Alexei was stunned. "Me? Take- "

Wolf stopped for the second time, but he did not look back. "Fox trusts you, and I trust Fox, so I accept that you are trustworthy. You better _not _let me down."

Behind him, Alexei's heart sank.

* * *

><p><em>MI6 Headquarters; Same Time<em>

Mrs. Jones rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she put down the phone receiver.

"Has the arrangement been made?" asked Mr. Blunt, his head still bent over his paperwork.

"Yes, Mr. Blunt." She paused for a moment. "But do you think it is the right decision?"

"Of course it is. It was in the way of trade, Mrs. Jones. SCORPIA would not deceive us," he replied, not looking up.

"What SCORPIA actually said was that 'the youngest unit member in K- Unit is our spy'. And the youngest member is Alexei Gerald. Or more to the point, Alex Rider," said Mrs. Jones, her eyes staying on the grey man in the grey suit.

"SCORPIA does not know of Alex's survival, that is certain. Plus, we have information. Our contacts tell us that the last time SCORPIA got wind of our SAS soldiers' training background was about the time of Invisible Sword, six months ago! Their information is outdated. They don't know we've had recent add- ons to K- Unit. The second youngest member of K- Unit, and the one I believe they refer to, is none other than Eagle, so he has to go. You've arranged it with the doctors?" said Mr. Blunt.

"Yes," replied Mrs. Jones. "After tonight, Eagle will be no more."

Mr. Blunt was silent for a moment. Then, as he turned a page, he said, "Keep an eye on Yassen Gregorovich. I fear that he might be in contact with Alex Rider."

**A/N: Sorry for the cliffhangers and darker chapters. Don't get too upset over everything first, please- I promise you I'll tie everything up nicely in the end. I'll try to update as soon as possible. Thanks for reading!**

**Please review and drop me a thought!**

**Epsilon Scorpii**


	9. Chapter 9: Apart

**¬Last One Standing¬  
><strong>_Chapter Nine:  
>Apart<br>_

_DISCLAIMER: _I own nothing of Anthony Horrowitz's characters. Here's just an ordinary 14 year old girl wishing she does. Hope you enjoy the story!

* * *

><p>Later that night, Alexei sat by himself beside the river, watching the water gush past, his mind a total jumble. Wolf's voice rang in his ears, and Alexei shuddered at the thought of betraying the man again. How would Wolf take it, to be stabbed twice in the back?<p>

He'd heard about Snake's betrayal an hour before, from one of the officers that tied him up and was now trying to make it up to him. Why MI6 decided that the murder convict was not him, Alexei, he didn't know. After all, he was the only suspect; the only one at the scene of the crime. And to be truthful, it was he who set off the alarm in the underground room... not that he dared to mention it.

Alexei wished, somewhat desperately, that Fox would wake up. He'd know what to do; he'd be good company. Even Wolf yelled a lot less at Fox.

Then suddenly, someone _did _join Alexei by the river. Alexei turned round and jumped- rather violently.

It was Wolf.

For a moment, their eyes met- then Wolf started shouting so loudly Alexei nearly fell into the river.

"HEY! I'm trying to be civil here, alright? Make an effort!"

His tone didn't sound very encouraging. What had Alexei done? It was natural to jump when encountering an enemy alone by the river at night.

"Right," muttered Alexei.

"Right!" repeated Wolf, and, to Alexei's dismay, the Captain actually sat down beside him.

There was a long, awkward, uncomfortable silence. Alexei wanted to turn and run away that very minute- he certainly wasn't enjoying Wolf's company, but he thought it'd be rather rude. And offending Wolf at this time of the night was definitely not wise.

"Snake," said Wolf suddenly. Then he shook his head, as if to rid himself of his memories. "No, we shall talk about Eagle first."

The Captain's voice was worried.

"I've just talked to one of the MI6 officials who came here just now- Mr. Crawley, if you know him," added Wolf. Alexei was surprised. He didn't think Mr. Crawley would be the type to travel to Brecon Beacons' training grounds.

"What was Mr. Crawley here for?" asked Alexei casually.

Wolf inhaled deeply as though to calm himself. "That's it!" he half- shouted again. "I've lost my patience with you. You ALWAYS miss the main point!"

Alexei looked at the Captain, thinking that perhaps Snake's betrayal had driven him over the edge.

The SAS soldier Captain calmed himself again. "That was not the main point," he said through gritted teeth. "You were supposed to ask me what exactly had I - oh never mind. The main point is, it was MI6 that ordered the soldiers to..." Wolf swallowed. "-assault Eagle."

Alexei felt his heart sink even lower. And here he thought nothing could go worse. "What? Why?" he asked, a decent question at last.

"I sworn not to tell you this, but I don't care about rules and orders at the moment," said Wolf. "Promise me you won't tell?"

"Promise."

Wolf inhaled deeply again. "Alright. It seems that SCORPIA and MI6 did a fair trade. MI6 gave SCORPIA something- I don't know what- and SCORPIA, in return, uncovered the spy they had planted in MI6. And SCORPIA told MI6 that the youngest soldier in K- Unit was a spy."

Alexei's heart lurched. "Me," he whispered.

"Apparently, everyone knows you're too weedy to be a spy, and you're new, so MI6 thought SCORPIA was referring to the second- youngest soldier in K- Unit... which is Eagle," finished Wolf. "The doctors wouldn't even do anything to save Eagle just now, but I threatened to turn in my badge if they didn't try. After that I came to find you." Here, Wolf started to sound awkward. "I deduce you are something special to MI6, as after interviewing you a few weeks ago, needless to say, I didn't approve of you as a soldier... but MI6 insisted that you become one, regardless of my complaints. Since you are someone so special... I thought there may be a chance if you explain to MI6 that Eagle isn't a spy. Obviously, SCORPIA fed us false information."

Alexei nodded and got up, his heart thudding.

Truth to be told, he was furious with himself. Not only he had fouled up so many things, he had allowed other people to be greviously hurt on his behalf. Eagle was hurt; maybe even dead, because of him. _He _was the one the attack should be for!

"I... wish you good luck," said Wolf, still sounding awkward. "Don't think I'm getting soft, or anything, I just want you to have success with MI6... about Eagle. Got that?"

Alexei nodded again, not trusting himself to speak. He'd already been pushed into the river by Wolf once before.

* * *

><p>In turned out in the end, Alexei didn't even need to request a meeting with Mr. Crawley. At five thirty in the morning the next day, Alexei was summoned to the Sergeant's tent.<p>

He was not surprised in the least to find Mr. Crawley there, smiling his bank- manager formal smile.

"Good morning, Mr. Crawley," said Alexei wearily, once the tent flap had closed behind him.

"Good to see you in form, Alex-ei," said Mr. Crawley, nodding in approval. "Now, I'm just going to ask you a few questions before I take my leave."

Alexei sighed and sat himself opposite the man. "So what does MI6 want now?"

"Apparently you were accused of murder at the forest cavern, when caught by the retrieval team last night," said Mr. Crawley, reading from a report he had in his thick file. "Captain Wolf has sworn your innocence upon his badge, and there was no evidence that pin-pointed you as the culprit, so naturally you are free from all charges, but that does not mean you are free from suspicion. Will you kindly explain what were you doing there at the forest cavern at that time of the night, covered in blood, when you were supposed to be in your tent under supervision?"

"I didn't even know there was a murder case," said Alexei, a touch testily. He hadn't slept a wink for the entire night. "I happened to find one of my comrades, Eagle, lying bloody and bruised in the forest cavern, so naturally I decided to reveal myself and call for help. But the retrieval team wouldn't believe me- shackled me, even, then imprisoned me after knocking me out."

"That does not explain what you were doing there at that time of the night, Alexei," said Mr. Crawley, looking directly at Alexei.

Alexei shrugged. "I was having a walk. Truth to be told, I was feeling pretty rebellious, so I decided to go off somewhere secluded and come back when I've cooled down. It was just my bad luck to walk into a murder crime scene."

"There were alarms ringing by then. Why didn't you run at first? Why did you appear only five minutes after the retrieval arrived?"

Mr. Crawley's eyes were boring holes in Alexei.

"I arrived at the forest cavern before the alarms rang," replied Alexei, struggling to maintain eye contact. "When the alarms started to ring, and when I heard the retrieval coming, I decided to hide in the shadows- as I knew I wasn't allowed out of the tent, either. But after I discovered Eagle, I decided to reveal myself. I've told you the rest," finished Alexei, feeling a tad uncomfortable.

There was silence, before Alexei continued speaking. "Can I go to the Sick Bay and visit my friends, Fox and Eagle? The Sergeant has forbidden me and Wolf to leave the premises, but I'm sure you could make an exception," he said, half- pleading.

Mr. Crawley looked at him in surprise. "Now, that doesn't sound much like the Alexei I knew," he said. "You've made friends among them, huh?"

He sounded disbelieving.

"Not close friends," admitted Alexei, "Or maybe not even friends. Comrades who bully each other, more like. But at least I know I can trust them; and there're not more than seven people here on Earth I'd be willing to trust. So I don't intend to lose any of them tonight."

"Fox is alright," said Mr. Crawley casually. "I've spoken to him before, he's pretty easy- going. But Eagle, he's another case. He talks and laughs like any other dumb soldier, but he's devious on the inside. A bit too devious, it seems."

"What do you mean?" asked Alexei, feigning ignorance.

"I thought SCORPIA had taught you a lesson back then, Alexei... never trust others easily," said Mr. Crawley. He suddenly sounded disapproving. "Some people just never learn. Now, I have one last question for you, then I leave Brecon Beacons. Have you been in contact with anyone else other than the SAS soldiers here on Brecon Beacons, since you've arrived?"

"No, of course not," said Alexei, taking care not to answer too quickly. Fox had once taught him that trick before. "Who else would there be to talk to?"

Mr. Crawley nodded. Then- "How did you get that watch?" he asked softly.

Alexei looked at his wrist and mentally cursed. It was Ian Rider's watch. He had worn it on his wrist for fear of it falling out of his pocket since Wolf had returned it to him.

"Do you recogonise it, sir?" asked Alexei, avoiding the question.

Mr. Crawley did not answer. Alexei decided to go for the truth.

"It was Ian Rider's," he replied. "He left it for me."

"As far as I know, Ian Rider was wearing that watch when he was shot by Yassen Gregorovich that day," said Mr. Crawley neutrally.

Alexei shrugged. "Do you have any more questions, Mr. Crawley?"

The 'bank manager' got up. "No, I don't. Nice seeing you, Alexei."

He made to walk out of the tent, but Alexei stopped him. "Sir, about Eagle's condition... I was wondering if-"

Mr. Crawley sighed. "Wolf told you, didn't he? Well, I'll tell you this, I for one do not believe that Eagle is a spy either, so on _my _orders, Eagle would be allowed to live. Unfortunately, Mr. Blunt thinks differently."

"But does that mean Eagle will be allowed to live?" Alexei pressed.

Mr. Crawley paused. "Yes, as of yet. At least, the doctors will try their best."

* * *

><p>When Alexei made his way tiredly to where K- Unit would be pitching their tent temporarily, he heard lots of raised voices and winced. Wondering what the commotion was all about, he decided to try his luck and neared the site.<p>

"- can't believe they allowed you back here!" roared Wolf's voice. "TRAITOR!"

"I was NOT!" said another voice heatedly, presumably Snake's. "I was under MI6's orders."

"Thier ORDERS!" yelled back Wolf. "Their stinking orders to BURN UP OUR CAMP! Does your loyalty lie with MI6 or us?"

With that, the tent flap burst open and Wolf stomped out, his face red with anger. When he saw Alexei he stopped.

"It's okay," Alexei assured him. "Eagle should live."

Wolf bit his lip and nodded several times. "Yes. YES! I knew it. It wasn't even his fault. Of course he'd live!"

And with that weird statement, he left into the forest, heading in the Sick Bay's direction. But three seconds later he came back.

"I thought you'd like to know, Fox being your best buddy and everything..." he coughed and cleared his throat. "Fox just woke up."

Alexei looked at him in surprise. A small smile mirroring Wolf's managed to find its way to his fatigued face. "That's great. Thanks for telling."

But Wolf had already gone.

* * *

><p>Wolf reached the Sick Bay within 10 minutes after getting permission from the Sergeant.<p>

Fox looked rather weak from smoke inhalation, and was suffering from numerous burns, grevious and minor alike, but he was grinning. "It could be worse," he assured Wolf, who was prodding at Fox's burn balm suspiciously. "The fire could have lost me my good looks."

"You were always bad at humor, so don't try now," was Wolf's crushing reply.

"Did they catch the arsoner?" asked Fox, changing the subject. "Where's Horse, Eagle and Snake?"

"Horse's probably lost in the forest, Eagle's in the emergency ward just metres away, and Snake is the arsoner," snapped Wolf, looking elsewhere, his shoulders hunched.

Fox thought Wolf was joking. "You, too have a bad sense of humour," he said.

"I was NOT joking!" snapped Wolf. He made to say something else, but the door burst open to reveal Snake.

Wolf's mouth tightened and he turned away.

"Fox!" said Snake, his face pale and drawn. He stopped, at a loss of words.

"I'm okay, fine, really," assured Fox again. "And on the plus side, I rescued your precious family heirloom."

He held up an ostientious ring on his little finger and waved it at Snake. "I was trying to get it before the fire destroyed everything. I deduced it was... ah, important to you. I even rescued Horse's compass too."

Snake choked. "There was a fire, you wallop! A big fire, and you go about playing fireman, rescuing things."

But it was true; the ring was Snake's last and only connection with his long dead parents. He had been most protective of it. He'd forgotten all about it when he set fire to the camp.

Fox shrugged, but Wolf suddenly leapt up, his eyes fierce. "How dare you even _speak _to Fox!" he hissed furiously. "You tried to murder him!"

"I did not!" protested Snake. "I'm really sorry, Fox- honestly, I didn't think you'd be in the tent! I checked that everyone was out!"

"What are you talking about?" asked Fox.

"I told you, Fox- Snake set fire to our camp!" Wolf said, his voice close to hysterical as he vainly tried to control his volume. "He betrayed us all!"

"I'm truly, really sorry!" said Snake pleadingly as Fox turned his eyes on him. "I positively checked all the tents. I didn't see you."

"I wasn't in the tents," explained Fox. "I followed you guys into the forest- I planned to help Horse with the firewood- so I started off a bit late. Anyway, I returned to the camp soon, because I smelt something burning, and found the camps ablaze... only slightly." Fox stopped when he noticed Snake's uncomfortable expression. "Never mind," he finished lamely.

"Never mind!" exploded Wolf angrily. "You could have died, Fox."

"If I died, I would be as much at fault as Snake," answered Fox. "I would have been fine if I hadn't returned to the camp to save these items. Sorry I didn't save your favorite shotgun, Wolf- it exploded."

Wolf felt another wave of anger crash through him- he had forgotten about that. "Not your fault, Fox, so stop apologising for someone else's crimes," he said through gritted teeth.

Fox shook his head. "But why did you do it, Snake?"

Snake opened his mouth to speak, but Wolf cut across the SAS soldier. "He said he was under MI6's orders!" he roared. "He expects us to believe that... claptrap."

"It was the truth!" objected Snake. "Just wait, I'll show you the official report. It should be coming next week."

"Next week!" said Wolf, so hysterical his voice was almost a squeak. "You'd have probably murdered us all in our beds next week."

"Trust me, Wolf- I really didn't mean to- " Snake began.

"_Trust _you? Never in my life again!" Wolf burst out angrily, then turned his back on Snake and stared out of the window resolutely, his fists clenched and back hunched.

"Where's Horse?" asked Fox, trying to sound neutral. He knew how sensitive Wolf could get, and the Wolf was already teetering over the edge.

"He couldn't come," answered Snake instead, a tad uncomfortably. "The Sergeant wouldn't allow him to come. Only me and Wolf were given special permission, don't ask me why."

"Oh," said Fox, trying not to feel disappointed. "So... what did I miss?"

"Plenty," butted in Wolf, trying to keep Snake out of the conversation. "There was a murder committed at some forest cavern, and Horse was blamed for it because he was nearby."

For the next ten minutes, Wolf started to recount the entire tale to Fox, speaking so fast and filling in the details with such accuracy that Snake did not have a chance to speak, which suited Wolf just fine.

The thought of his ex- friend sent Wolf's blood boiling. He felt like strangling Snake. He'd never, in his entire life as an SAS soldier captain, been betrayed by another comrade before. He'd been too careful, too picky. Only the most loyal stayed by his side. K- Unit was all he had (with the exception of Horsey, of course); and K- Unit was all he trusted.

Not now, though. Now everyone had deserted him; being a Captain was only a meaningless position if you didn't have faithful followers. A shadow fell across Wolf's features, and abruptly, his story rattled to a frosted halt.

Fox studied his friend for a while. "Hello, Wolf? Still with us?"

Wolf started. "Yeah. Yes, that was all."

Snake decided, that Wolf didn't finish the story, he'd might as well complete it. "So Wolf sent the retrieval team to the weaponry room to catch me, and barged into the holding cells to release Alexei."

Wolf snorted. "You don't seem very sorry about setting fire to our camp," he said.

"I'm not sorry I did it- it was MI6's orders," said Snake defiantly, though he clearly looked upset and didn't want to show it. "I'm just sorry that the fire got Fox in the end."

"But why would MI6 want to burn down our camp?" mused Fox, his eyes distant.

"Exactly, it doesn't make any sense. Snake is lying!" crowed Wolf.

"MI6 never told me why I needed to do it," said Snake. "Just to do it and keep quiet about it. Do you think I _wanted _to accept the offer?"

His words couldn't have come at a worse moment. Someone knocked and Fox's door, and a nurse walked in with a white envelope addressed to Snake. "Order from the Council," she said, handing a note pad to Snake for him to sign his name, as a proof he had received the package.

"From the Council?" spluttered Wolf.

Snake clearly did not want to open the parcel. His face was red as he tried vainly to hide it from view, but Wolf darted forwards and grabbed the package from him.

"Don't!" warned Snake, grabbing back the parcel, but instead of snatching back the envelope, he accidentally ripped it open, and the contents spilled out, much to his dismay.

Not only there was wads of cash, but there was something else too- a golden star brooch.

Time seemed to stop. Fox glanced somewhat fearfully at the rigid back of his captain and friend.

"The gold star," breathed Wolf at last. _"That's _what they gave you in return for your services."

Then he was gone, slamming the door behind him as he hurtled down the aisle, ignoring Snake's calls and ineloquent explainations.

He would never trust anyone again.

* * *

><p>Alexei felt somewhat disappointed when the Sergeant forbade him to leave the tent even for a visit to the Sick Bay. He recalled Fox, dropping in every hour or so when <em>he'd <em>been in the Sick Bay a few weeks ago, and felt ashamed he didn't and couldn't do the same. Was it worth it defying the Sergeant yet again for a visit?

Wolf returned from his visit around six in the morning, but glancing at his wild and angry expression, Alexei didn't dare to approach the man. He glanced into the forest and noted that Snake did not come back together with Wolf. Most likely scenario- they had quarrelled again.

At around six thirty, Snake had also returned from the Sick Bay, together with the Sergeant. But the funny thing was, they seemed to be walking... together. And the Sergeant was actually smiling.

"You made the right choice, Snake. This career suits people like you," the Sergeant said as a departing word, before Snake left for his own temporary tent. "It's a good thing you didn't take after your captain."

Snake nodded. "Thank you, sir."

But Alexei noticed that Snake didn't look happy at that praise, or even acknowledge- Alexei noticed- the new Gold Star pinned on Snake's SAS soldier uniform. That man had earned two Gold Stars in three weeks! That had to be unheard of. But Alexei guessed it wasn't too hard to earn it the _other _way, as in by helping MI6 do their dirty deeds.

Needless to say, even Alexei felt resentful towards Snake, especially after what happened to Fox. Plus, the man had never been friendly to Alexei in the first place.

"You did the right thing, Snake," said the Sergeant again, clapping Snake on his back. "It was -"

"Thank you sir," said Snake brusquely, then turned his back on the Sergeant and left for his tent, his expression unreadable. Somehow, the Sergeant's praise felt hollow to Snake. It hadn't felt as good as when Wolf had gave him a grudging 'that's pretty good', or when Eagle and Fox whistled in admiration. The Sergeant's praise just served to make him guilty.

But it was the right thing to do, wasn't it? After all, K- Unit had sworn loyalty to MI6. He'd done right. Wolf was just jealous of him.

Although Snake's head convinced him it was alright, when he watched Wolf go rigid at the sight of him, his heart just couldn't accept it.

So that was why, everyone who was so caught up with their own problems did not notice three men approach the camp and kidnap Alexei away from their midst.

* * *

><p>Surprisingly, as the three men inched towards Alexei, the blades of their knifes glinting off the newly risen sun, all Alexei could think of was 'not again'. And this time, because he was so weak from sleep deprivation and starvation, he barely attempted a struggle. Not that it would have made much of a difference; the men that held him in an iron grip had more muscles than a bear.<p>

Alexei was slung over the man's back like some kind of sack as they headed straight into the forest. Alexei wondered if they'd return to the forest cavern, but as he was blindfolded, he didn't know where he was headed to. The gag in his mouth only allowed him to make choking, gurgling noises, and even those were weak and went unnoticed.

Approximately five minutes later, they arrived at their destination. He heard the man carrying him grunt and throw him carelessly to the floor. Alexei's right elbow absorbed most of the impact. He lay there, temporarily winded, before he became aware of someone standing over him.

"So, have you found him yet?" asked a familiar voice.

Alexei cleared his throat.

_You haven't removed the gag, idiot. _

The man laughed. "Remove the gag, Gespard."

Soon, Alexei found himself sitting up, propped against a rock of some kind.

"I wish you'll forget the skullduggery," Alexei half- moaned as he tried to rub some feeling into his arms. "Why is it you always need to blindfold me, I don't understand. It's not like I don't know who you are."

"Mr. Crawley asked if you'd been in contact if me, right?" asked the same lilting Russian accented voice. "What did you answer him?"

Alexei shrugged.

"Forgive me if I do not understand what you mean by that action."

"The same answer I'm giving you now."

The man sighed. "So, have you found him yet?"

"Who?" asked Alexei, a touch testily. "I'm not looking for anyone, alright, so if you'd be so kind to let me go. I have no idea who you are referring to."

This time, the man sounded surprised.

"Aren't you looking for Ian Rider?" he asked.

**A/N: Thank you all for your support! Please leave me a thought and click the button below! :D**

**E.S.**


	10. Chapter 10: Solving Mysteries

**¬Last One Standing¬  
><strong>_Chapter Ten:  
>Solving Mysteries<br>_

_DISCLAIMER: _I own nothing of Anthony Horrowitz's characters. Here's just an ordinary 14 year old girl wishing she does. Hope you enjoy the story!

* * *

><p>Of course, in truth, SCORPIA hadn't had much use of Alexei Gerald- or rather, Alex Rider as a double- agent in MI6. Bribes were accepted easily in the department. There was only one point of them keeping the fifteen year old teenage spy alive- to gain double revenge. Have Alex Rider and MI6 kill each other while SCORPIA played the cards.<p>

The underground room in the forest cavern was built by none other than John Rider and Yassen Gregorovich- and had been used as a secret meeting room for the double agents SAS soldiers that trained at Brecon Beacons ever since it was Rider told SCORPIA the secret.

As for the Russian contract killer, he was indeed alive, though on permanent pills and pain. The bullet from Damian Cray's gun had severed at least three arteries, but it had missed the Yassen's heart narrowly when Air Force One gave a lurch- thus a life saved. SCORPIA had paid for the Russian's medical fees- and more, as the man was of great value to the board, but it effectively meant that Yassen was now indebted to them. Where his movements outside SCORPIA's orders were more free before then, now he was completely restricted- powerless to deny or offer comments, even to question orders. Not that Yassen had often done that in the past, except for a few issues concerning the Riders.

Miss Rothman now sat in her study back at Widow's Palace, frowning as she thought of the complicated events that followed.

"I heard that you saved the boy, Alex Rider, on the second day of his career in the SAS soldier camp," she began, addressing the quiet Russian contract killer before her. "Gespard informed me that the boy fell off the cliff and cracked his skull, but you chose to save him."

Yassen didn't even beat an eyelid. "With all due respect, madam, I was under the impression that Alex Rider's survival until the appropriate date was essential to our plans- thus, my actions."

"Was there anything else to it?" Miss Rothman asked, her smile stretching a little wider as she studied his impassive face. "Perhaps you found the child engaging, even fond of him- as you were towards John Rider?"

Yassen's face hardened. "I do not reserve any feelings for that boy, but I am not comfortable with the fact that we are insulting the memory of John Rider while we put Alex down as a tool for SCORPIA to use at such a young age."

"Nonsense," Miss Rothman dismissed at once, her smile still in place. She had nearly forgotten Yassen's bond with John Rider, and that the Russian killer did not know the truth of his friend's death. "You killed your first man around Rider's age, didn't you? Not to mention, Alex Rider has killed many before. It's just by excuses and lies spun up by himself that Alex can ignore his conscience. What did you do with Alex after you saved him?"

"I left him in the cavern for the rest of the soldiers to find. His unit came for him soon after. Alex Rider hadn't even stirred then, so there was no way we were seen. Rider was then carried off by one of the soldiers."

Miss Rothman studied Yassen's face again, her eyes boring holes in his calm composure. "Was that the last you saw of the boy?"

Yassen nodded. "It is. I left for Venice directly after Rider was carried away. However, Gespard informs me that Rider came back to the forest cavern on that same night along with one of his comrades. They discovered the underground room trapdoor- or rather, Alex did. Before they managed to enter, however, Fowler gave the signal and set off one of the grenades for distraction. Alex crashed straight into Darren on fleeing the place, but in the end both parties escaped unhurt."

Miss Rothman nodded, signalling for him to continue.

"The second time Rider came back to the spot was around noon the next day," Yassen reported. "We had hidden cameras installed all around the room, so we caught everything on video. Rider and his comrade prodded around the place, but didn't find anything worthwhile, until Rider deciphered the clue in the window binds. Rider found the letter addressed from me to Darren."

A crease appeared in Miss Rothman's otherwise stunning features. "What did the letter say, exactly? Nothing important, I hope?"

"Nothing that would raise suspicion," confirmed Yassen, his tone just as neutral. "My exact words were '_find me, C.'. _Sergeant Gregor had laid all MI6's newest defense information to us, so there was no more point for us to stay. I packed up and left earlier, then left the letter addressed to Darren. Darren knows that he can find me at Venice.

"Anyway, as Rider was holding the letter, Darren and the rest of my men did not receive my orders to leave- so they stayed behind. I have no contact from them ever since last week. I believe they fear to make contact with SCORPIA while MI6 is still watching, and after Rider broke into the underground room so many times after, my men fear that the meeting room is bugged."

"What do you mean by Rider broke into the underground room so many times after? I thought he has only been there once?" Miss Rothman snapped.

"It seems that Rider returned more on more than one occassion," Yassen began, before the door to Julia Rothman's study burst open. A tall dark man with strangely glittering green eyes entered. The newcomer bowed shortly to Miss Rothman, before nodding in Yassen's direction in acknowledgement.

"Darren," Yassen said, not sounding surprised or displeased. "You're back."

"Helicopter 4067 was supposed to leave with us three days after you left, Gregorovich," Darren spoke, his pronounciation flawless, without any apparent accent. "But the rest of the men didn't receive your message and decided not to leave without our leader- you. I tried convincing them, but no avail. So we missed it. When you finally made contact and told us to leave, there were no more flights to take us out of Brecon Beacons, so Gespard decided to create an accident. More copters flew in and out to verify the victim, so it was fairly easy for us to escape."

"He killed Fowler, didn't he?" Yassen said, his voice still calm.

Darren nodded imperceptibly.

"Yeah, he did. As it happens, Rider was there on his fourth visit when Gespard had finished with Fowler. The boy didn't even notice Fowler's dead body hidden under the sofa. Gespard didn't recogonise the boy- he thought it was another SAS soldier, so he pressed the alarm, hoping to frame Rider for the crime. Well, in the end Rider was fast enough anyway, and he left the room before retrieval arrived, and hid in the shadows. Unfortunately, Rider took one of the clues we left for MI6- one of the letters, at any rate."

"Surely it was a foolish idea to hide the letters using the window bind trick again!" Miss Rothman exclaimed, her tone irritable.

"We didn't know Rider had found the 'find me' letter by Yassen in the first place, madam," Darren said, his face expressionless. "Anyway, Gespard saw Rider leaving with one of the letters before our man ran from the crime scene using the escape route- just before retrieval arrived. Rider also happened to stumble upon the body of one Eagle- from Rider's unit. It seems as though MI6 has taken the bait."

"MI6 knew it was SCORPIA all along," said Yassen coldly. "They knew we had a hideout there somewhere, always suspected us, but found no evidence. I think they left Eagle's body there on purpose, to make it seem to others that it was SCORPIA's crime."

Miss Rothman was silent for a while as she regarded both of their stories. At last, she raised her head and spoke, "Have you left out anything else? Any other detail?"

Darren paused a bit before speaking, "Well, on Rider's third visit to our meeting room, we happened to be inside- so he was caught. Rider seemed to be under the impression that I was Gregorovich, as I happened to be imitating Yassen's amazing accent-" A brief annoyed look passed over Yassen's features- "... and well, we decided to mess with Rider for a bit. We knocked him out after that, before leaving."

"And what of the meeting? Have you arranged that too?" Miss Rothman asked. "Remember, Rider must turn up at the spot, _alone,_ without knowing the one he'll meet is actually SCORPIA. MI6 is keeping close tabs on the boy now, doubtless, and I fear that Rider isn't experienced enough to hide that much from MI6, not to mention his comrades that seem to follow him wherever he goes."

Darren briefly recalled his whisper in Alex's ear.

"Don't worry, I've got it all under control," he replied.

* * *

><p>Alexei returned to his tent tiredly, his mind still reeling from the events that had taken place. So many mysteries, all connected to the same spot- the forest cavern. But what occupied his mind the most was that soft whisper in his ear minutes previously, barely audible above the crickets' singing- "<em>But aren't you looking for Ian Rider?"<em>

No, he certainly had not been looking for Ian. Ian was dead in what felt like years ago, and dwelling on it made Alexei feel worse, especially when he discovered more of the lies, secrets and manipulation he had been brought up in by his guardian. Indeed, he had rarely thought of the last Rider to remain, except him. It didn't help that thinking of Ian brought about memories of one Jack Starbright, and he thinking about her, wondering about her, made his firm resolve shudder.

Alexei was better off without those memories.

So what had that man meant?

Presumably, the voice belonged to Yassen Gregorovich... but it just didn't seem to be Yassen's style of working. But still, the whispered date and time still rang in his ear, refusing resolutely to go away. But if it was Yassen that was telling him this... there might still be hope.

A spark flickered within him. Perhaps, as Yassen had been close to John Rider before, he had not killed Ian Rider. Ian was now living undercover, and to meet him, he had to sneak out at midnight, on that date...

"... didn't want to tell you that time," a familiar voice rang somewhere close to Alexei, from where he was standing, at the edge of the forest. Already he could make out the new K- Unit campsite tents. But that voice- wasn't it...

Alexei quickly ducked behind a tree as two figures in SAS soldier uniform appeared.

"Wolf was already getting agitated," Fox continued, talking in a low voice. "So I wasn't going to say anything else to aggravate the situation. But that's not to say I'm not angry with you."

Snake was silent for a moment before saying, "Right. I've said I'm sorry already, haven't I? Honestly, I would never willingly hurt my Unit members. None of you was supposed to get hurt."

"I'm not angry on behalf of my injuries," Fox continued. "But the fact that you betrayed us all."

They had stopped walking. Snake's face was now red. "I had no other choice, Fox," he said, struggling to keep his voice calm. "At first, I didn't want to do it. But the punishment- it was either dismissing me from my career life for fear I'd leak out MI6's secrets, or maybe even death itself! I suppose the rewards were tempting, but the main point why I did it was because _none of you was supposed to get hurt._ And I'm sorry I didn't save your stuff before setting fire, but that would be suspicious."

"True," admitted Fox. "And after all, we swore oaths to be loyal to MI6, not to each other."

A note of bitterness crept into his voice.

Snake was spluttering, trying to find words to say, before Fox said, "Did you know why MI6 wanted you to set fire to our tent?"

Snake fell silent again; thinking, before saying, "...no. I don't."

"You do," Fox corrected softly. "Surely you're bright enough to figure it all out by now."

"No..." murmured Snake, though from where Alexei was watching, the man had turned white.

Alexei leaned in closer to listen.

"It was a distraction," Fox said again, louder this time. Alexei's breath was coming fast as he listened behind the trunks, frozen to the spot.

"It was MI6's plot, to assault Eagle," Fox ploughed on. "Didn't you think about it before acting? You told Eagle that the Sergeant wanted him at E- Unit's campsite before you left with Wolf and Horse. You told him to leave the place 'ten minutes later'. If Eagle had departed early with Wolf and Horse, MI6 wouldn't have had the chance to assault him. Then of course, on the way to E- Unit's campsite, Eagle would have to pass the forest cavern. Which gave MI6 the chance. And _ten minutes later, _when Eagle was probably being beaten up by MI6, you set fire to the camp, so Wolf and Horse would return to the campsite immediately, going in the opposite direction of Eagle, and therefore would not have seen or aided Eagle when he was _dying."_

Snake was trembling now. Alexei felt his mind whirling, as he listened behind the tree.

"Surely you would have thought of it, when you were being given the instructions. You might have sensed something suspicious and chose not to act. After all, why single out Eagle? But you chose not to dwell on it, chose not to think about the conseuquences. That's why I'm angry at you, because you chose ignore a highly possible threat to your friend and plough on with your orders with one closed eye. After all, you and me always tied as the best detective in K- Unit, and I don't believe you'd have been blind enough to not notice that something was wrong."

Fox's voice was a shade warmer when he said the last sentence, but Snake still remained frozen on the spot. Fox laid a hand on Snake's shoulder briefly. "Don't get me wrong, no matter what happens- I still want you in the unit with me. But I don't blame Wolf for not forgiving you, either."

Fox moved away and inhaled deeply, before changing the topic abruptly. "I was hoping to see Horse for a while before sneaking back to the Hospital Wing, but it turns out I wasn't the only one doing the sneaking. Say hello from me to him when he comes back, will you?"

Alexei watched as Fox left. For a moment, he had a sudden impulse to reveal himself to Fox- but he feared that Snake would know that he, Alexei had listened in to their conversation, and kept himself hidden amongst the trees. It wasn't until five minutes later, when Snake had already disappeared into the campsite, when Alexei dared to sneak back to his tent.

Within seconds, he had curled up on the hard ground beneath the shelter of his cold tent and fallen into a deep, exhausted sleep.

* * *

><p>From then on, life was miserable for Alexei.<p>

He had never really appreciated; nor fully comprehended how much company Fox had kept him supplied with each day- but now that the closest thing he had to a friend in K- Unit was gone, he felt the Fox's absence keenly. Everyday, Alexei kept his promise to check on Fox in the Hospital Wing, like what Fox had done for him in the past.

Wolf was extremely snappish; Alexei regarded him as bomb about to go off every day. Snake and Wolf, needless to say, were on very bad terms. And Alexei felt it excruciating to be caught between a non- verbal battle between two men that hated his very existence.

Everyday Alexei would secretly hope for Fox to recover, and announce he'd be back in the unit the next day.

However, it seemed that in the space of a brief two hours, in which Fox had snuck out of the Hospital Wing directly after waking from comatose, Fox had brought a fair amount of harm upon his health, and his condition was aggravated. While he was going to be discharged in three days maximum- now Fox was confined to another week's worth of confinement, with no guarantees.

Eagle, however, fared very much worse than the other K- Unit patient. So far, he had got past the dangerous phase, but he was nowhere near waking, and was kept under 24 surveillance in the emergency wards. No visitors were allowed, so Alexei didn't make a detour to drop by when he visited Fox.

Fox was looking reasonably annoyed when Alexei made his way into the Hospital Wing on the fourth day of the SAS soldier's confinement.

"So what did the doctor say?" Alexei said, grinning slightly at Fox's expression.

"The same," said Fox airily. "'I won't say I told you so, young man. Sneaking out of the Hospital Wing like that! Your burnt wounds are reopened again! Much of your skin was torn to shreds when you put on that army jacket. I won't say I told you so. Your system has not been able to get rid of all the smoke yet. I really won't say I told you so, but you'll need to remain in the hospital for one more week, maybe even longer. No guarantees.' But the funny thing is, he seems to forget that he says that _every single time every day."_

Alexei smiled slightly. It was a wonder that a patient could cheer up the visitor, rather than the other way round.

Fulfilling his promise to Fox, Alexei checked the door and jammed it shut with the carpet, before producing an oily package and tossing it to Fox.

"That's Wolf's share, actually," Alexei told him. "But since he refused to eat with Snake around, I figured he couldn't blame me for nicking it. Plus, technically _you're _eating his food, not me."

Fox devoured the breadsticks slowly- it was still better than the food served in the Hospital Wing. It was then when he noticed five oily jumbo sausages lying at the bottom of the parcel.

"Is this Wolf's share too? When did MI6 serve us sausages?" Fox picked up one.

"No, MI6 food are the breadsticks," Alexei said, a tad uncomfortably. "Wolf didn't eat the sausages after they were roasted. He said Snake put him off his appetite."

"They're really good," Fox said, taking another bite. "When was Wolf such a good cook? I've got to ask him how to do it someday."

"It's probably just because you've gotten used to Hospital food," Alexei remarked. "I didn't find them all that special."

Fox shrugged and picked up a second sausage. "Thanks a lot, to both of you," he grinned.

"It's the least I can do," Alexei responded softly, before looking away, out of the window. But he wasn't quick enough to avert his gaze, as Fox had caught the sudden sadness flashing across his haunted eyes. Fox fell silent, chewing the sausage mechanically as he wondered what could have happened to Alexei. Doubtless if he had asked the boy directly, Alexei would respond with a simple lie, "I'm fine." Fox wasn't trusted enough to learn Alexei's deepest secrets yet.

"Did Wolf and Snake start their bullying again?" Fox ventured a guess as he swallowed the last of his meal.

"No, they didn't," Alexei replied neutrally. "They're having enough fun ignoring each other and throwing furtive looks around."

"You look pretty miserable," Fox offered, trying for a joking light- hearted tone, but deep inside Fox was serious. Alexei looked pale, withdrawn; and Fox was catching flashes of pain across the boy's features more often than not. Was Alexei suffering from some unknown injury?

"I _am _miserable," said Alexei with a small humorless laugh.

Fox never expected Alexei to admit that. "Really?" he asked.

Alexei rolled his eyes. "Morning roll call- 5.00 a.m. 800 metre run for warm- up. Breakfast of gruel and bread. Mental training exercises. Who could _possibly _be miserable?" he said, voice dripping with sarcarsm.

"Hey, who's the patient here?" Fox said, gesturing to his various bandages and pipes attached to his skin. "I feel like a robot here, being controlled by the doctor by his many experiments, operations and machines. It's kind of unnerving, really. I can't wait for you to be back with you guys."

Fox thought he heard a silent 'Me too', but Alexei hadn't moved- he was still standing at the foot of his bed, gazing into the distance, fingers tapping an imaginary rhythm unconsciously on Fox's bed.

"Sometimes, you're a real mystery," Fox told him as he studied Alexei's features up close. "Your expression and mannerisms tell various different stories, so many that your character is hard to be discovered." Alexei rolled his eyes again and ignored the statement, reaching across for the oily paper bag and stuffing it back into his jacket.

"I'll get rid of the evidence," he told Fox. "I'll come back tomorrow. Recover soon."

And just like that, he left. Fox seriously wondered what was up with the boy.

Not to mention, Alexei looked slightly familiar... as though he had seen the boy somewhere before...

xXx

Alexei left the Sick Bay, his mind in another turmoil.

When would the blasted undercover agent examinations _start? _Already, he felt tired and _sick _with his plans. He was hurting others. Innocents. To achieve a goal he wasn't really sure he wanted.

Of course, he was angry at Alan Blunt for the double- cross at Albert Bridge, for killing his biological father in cold blood, and for lying to him all the while... but Merlin knew, was it the right choice? If John Rider had indeed been a contract killer, how would have he himself felt if he had grown up with a father like that?

Sometimes, he couldn't help but think this was just the wrong path for him to take.

Fox didn't help, either. Fox made things a thousand times worse- but at the same time, Fox made everything seem a thousand times better. Alexei sighed. Emotions never ceased to be confusing. Sometimes he wished that Fox would just leave him alone, or bully him, like Wolf, Eagle and Snake did- so it wouldn't hurt Alexei so much when time came for Alexei to stand on his true side. It pained his conscience too much to bring harm upon someone he cared for, someone that cared for him. Yet Alexei couldn't imagine life at K- Unit with the complete absence of Fox... it'd be a complete nightmare.

Even now was pretty bad as it was. No Fox to sit at mealtimes. No Fox to exchange glances with when the Sergeant made a repetitive command. No Fox to talk with him. No Fox to keep him company. No one to call for help when his flintstones refused to light a spark in the night...

But even so, Alexei promised himself that he'd keep his distance, from then on. Their friendship must not grow; indeed it must be stunted, before it developed into a stronger bond, or Alexei didn't think he could do what he had been training for months now, when the time came.

When five more weeks passed.

**A/N: Extremely sorry for the extra late update. Hope this chapter cleared up quite a lot of questions. I'm not really happy with how the story is going, and I planned a rewrite, but I haven't quite got the time and I'm lazy to do so too. Furthermore, I have many more new projects I'd like to focus on, but I thought it would be wiser to focus on my two stories- at least until they've reached around 20 chapters before I write something else.**


	11. Chapter 11: Power Play

**¬Last One Standing¬  
><strong>_Chapter Eleven:  
>Power Play<em>

_DISCLAIMER: _I own nothing of Anthony Horrowitz's characters. Here's just an ordinary 14 year old girl wishing she does. Hope you enjoy the story!

* * *

><p>It was the fifth day of Fox's confinement; and Wolf's friendship with Snake didn't seem as though it were going to be restored anytime soon. Alexei felt as though he couldn't care less if those two were enemies or not; he just hoped he wouldn't get caught in their battle.<p>

He had no idea just how horribly his hopes could be dashed.

As morning dawned the next day, Snake was the first to sidle up to Alexei, before the Sergeant arrived. Alexei looked at the smiling man wearily and shuffled further away from him, but Snake didn't seem to notice it. He gave Alexei another alarming wide grin.

"Good weather today, huh?" he started to strike up a conversation.

Alexei noticed Wolf glaring in their direction. "Um... yeah," he responded lamely, his eyes resting on the K- Unit Captain.

"Today's training should be focused on swimming activities," Snake continued conversationally, feeling malicious joy rising in him as Wolf's face turned a deeper shade of red.

Alexei glanced around uncomfortably. All the rest of the units had assembled, standing in close packs- except K- Unit. Snake and Alexei were standing together, whereas Wolf stood apart from them both, eyeing them- and particularly Snake, with contempt.

"I- we really should move over," Alexei started uncertainly. "Wo- I mean, we ought to stand together, as a unit."

Snake smiled a shiny, fake smile. "We _are _standing together, as a unit. You and me, nobody else."

It would be nice, if you got past the alarming bit, that Snake was attempting to be pleasant to Alexei, if not for the fact that the teenage spy was absolutely certain that Snake was just doing it to spite Wolf. Sure enough, when the Sergeant arrived, accompanied by a shrill blast of whistle, eyes roving around the neatly assembled units, his eyes fell upon Wolf, who stood apart like a lone ranger.

"Captain Wolf!" he said loudly, a fierce frown on his face. "Where is your unit? Why are you not assembled properly?"

Wolf was clearly trying to rein in his temper. His face was such a deep tomato red it was almost purple. Alexei got the feeling that this was happening more often than before.

"K- Unit!" barked the Sergeant, raising his voice as he did so. "Where is K- Unit?"

"Here sir!" Snake said immediately, saluting as he did so. Alexei began to feel extremely uncomfortable.

The Sergeant smiled as he saw Snake, and Alexei saw his eyes resting on Snake's new Gold Star. "Good. Now- Captain Wolf. _Why _are you not standing with your Unit?"

It was horribly unfair, Alexei knew. By the rules, the Unit was supposed to stand together behind the Captain- in short, the Captain was the one that decided where the group would assemble, not the rest of the unit. Wolf was at perfect liberty to control and order his unit members.

Wolf's fists were clenched tightly beside him. Alexei felt himself quail in unease.

He _hated _being caught in between. But in the end, he made his decision- mainly because he was sick of Snake using _him _as a tool to get back at Wolf.

"I apologise, sir," said Alexei, walking towards the Sergeant. "- for not standing with my assigned Unit. I'll just..."

He cleared his throat awkwardly as Wolf stared at him with a mixture of bewilderment and surprise. Perfectly aware of Snake's eyes boring holes in him, Alexei left Snake and moved to stand behind Wolf, the Captain.

But Snake wasn't going to give up that easily.

A vice like grip reached out and yanked Alexei backwards, roughly.

"No," said Snake, glaring at Alexei, his eyes sharp as daggers. "Our Unit stands _here. _Right, _Horse?"_

Everyone was watching them now. Alexei felt his insides burn with annoyance and anger at Snake. First he injured Fox, then betrayed them all, and contributed to Eagle's near- death- and now he was trying to take over Wolf's position? Alexei didn't like the K- Unit Captain, but the position belonged to _Wolf, _not Snake, who gained power by backstabbing his own friends.

"I'm afraid you are sadly mistaken," Alexei said coldly, wrenching his grip out of Snake's hand. "_My _unit is K- Unit, and my _Captain _is standing _there. _If you will excuse me."

Wolf's expression was unreadable. The Sergeant, however, was looking back from Snake to Wolf. Snake's looked anguished at his failure.

Alexei was staring resolutely at the Sergeant, his decision firm and brooked no argument. The Sergeant paused a while before clearing his throat.

"Snake," he said, not looking at the SAS soldier. "In position, now."

Snake's eyes were wide in disbelief. "But sir," he protested.

"No arguments! In position, _now!"_

Wolf was trying his best not to look too smug as Snake sulkily made his way to stand behind Wolf. Alexei shuffled a bit farther from both of them. This was certainly bad enough, without having to be caught in their frequent fist- fights.

The Sergeant had started talking again.

"Today, K- Unit and L- Unit will be training at the Grove Lake. J- Unit and E- Unit will go hiking at Hone's. All Units, report back at three. Any questions?"

There was a chorus of "No, sir!"

"Then get moving!" the Sergeant snapped, and Alexei noticed that the Sergeant was clearly looking everywhere else except at Snake.

As everyone moved off with their respective units, one soldier from L- Unit passed by Alexei. Catching Alexei's eye, he said in an undertone, "Your Unit's going to have a new Captain, isn't it?"

"No," replied Alexei cautiously. "What makes you think that way?"

"That Snake guy- he has two Gold Stars," the L- Unit said again.

"And Wolf has three," Alexei said, trying to end this uncomfortable conversation.

"Snake earned two in three weeks," continued the L- Unit soldier. "You're new here, aren't you? Well, then you probably don't understand. It's clear that Snake has the upper hand- the superiors are on his side. The most embarassing thing that can happen to a Captain is when his unit members refuse to follow his orders. Wolf is currently standing on a precarious position."

Alexei glanced at him. "Why are you telling me all this?"

The man shrugged. "Just thought I'd give you a warning on how things work here. It'll be better off for you if you get on Snake's good side."

Alexei didn't trust himself to reply.

They had already reached Grove Lake, and the teenage spy suddenly had a more pressing thought on mind- should he strip off in front of the rest? He was clearly on the scrawny side for a twenty- year old SAS soldier, but to remove his uniform... that might be quite a big giveaway. But swimming in it would probably rise more questions...

Well, all he could do was carry out everything the others did, and hope he'd blend in. Somehow, he doubted he would- the others were fast, strong swimmers.

He was fairly good at swimming, but only for his age.

The lake was huge. Alexei wasn't surprised if it could beat the Olympic size swimming pool. Small bushes, grubs and trees littered the sides, forming a vast oval in the middle of the forest clearing, and it was not unbeautiful. From his bearings, Alexei deduced that he was currently standing in the middle of Brecon Beacons.

"J- Unit!" Captain Finn commanded his group as soon as they reached the clearing. "Is all present? Leopard!"

"Yes sir!"

"Raven?"

"Yessir!"...

Alexei glanced at his sadly undisciplined unit. Snake was clearly looking elsewhere, ignoring both Alexei and Wolf. As for the K- Unit Captain, Alexei was surprised to recogonise the unsure expression on Wolf's face- one he had only seen twice in his life- when Wolf was fearing heights.

He caught the Captain's eye and raised one eyebrow. Wolf swallowed and looked away, ruffling his hair in a distressed maner.

Alexei bit his lip, wondering if he was making the right decision, before he caught sight of Snake's _insufferable _smug expression... the Sergeant was coming. Making up his mind at the spur of the moment, Alexei shuffled closer to Wolf, and muttered in an undertone.

"Aren't you going to command us, _Captain?" _he hissed.

Wolf was close to spluttering, unsure of what to say. The teenage spy was torn between exasperation and frustration. What was _wrong _with Wolf? Did he actually _want _to lose his position?

Suddenly, Alexei recalled the L- Unit soldier's words- '_The most embarassing thing that can happen to a Captain is when his unit members refuse to obey his orders.' _and '_Wolf is currently standing on a precarious position'. _Now it dawned on him.

Wolf was afraid of issuing orders for the fear of being rejected and humiliated in public, by his unit. In the light of new understanding, Alexei felt sorry for the Captain, and anger burned in him at the thought of Snake... but then again he had tried helping Wolf before, and look where it ended him.

No- to hell with his past- this was a new game.

And Alexei would rather suffer Wolf's bullies than watch the injustice of Snake becoming Captain by hurting Fox. And Eagle.

The Sergeant was closing in rapidly.

"_Command me," _hissed Alexei, his eyes boring into Wolf's. "Isn't that your favorite pastime? Come on, order me about!"

Wolf bit his lip, then met Snake's taunting gaze. The Sergeant exchanged a smirk with Snake. It was clear that the Sergeant was eager to overthrow Wolf, and have the ever- obedient and power hungry Snake as Captain of K- Unit. This thought seemed to fuel Wolf's determination, and he immediately returned to his original composure.

"K- Unit!" he barked commandingly.

Alexei never thought he'd be glad to hear Wolf's orders again. Quelling the look of triumph from leaking out of his eyes, Alexei responded, "Yes, sir!"

"Is all present?" Wolf continued. "Horse!"

"Yes sir!" Alexei said again, trying not to feel ridiculous- as he was the only one yelling. And his voice wasn't as low as what he would like.

Something sparked in Wolf's eyes. "Snake!" he bellowed.

Snake didn't respond- he was clearly waiting for the Sergeant to back him up. His gaze was now challenging, as he returned Wolf's glare coolly.

"_Yes?" _he said, raising an eyebrow as he did so.

Silence was met at the absence of the crucial word 'sir'. In normal circumstances, it would be fine by Wolf- the K- Unit Captain always treated everyone in his unit, including himself, as equals. But this was training- and this was in _public. _In front of another unit. And this was the basic rules of respect the unit members were required to show towards their Captain.

So this was Snake's way of not acknowledging Wolf as Captain anymore.

Wolf no longer looked unsure of himself. He had rapidly changed colour- from white to the normal red. "Good," he muttered under his breath. Then, aloud, he yelled, "Snake of K- Unit, punishment for disobeying the Captain's orders!"

Wolf was now going for humiliating _Snake _in front of everybody else. The K- Unit Captain pointed at the lake. "In, and do double rounds! _Nobody _contradicts the Captain, do you hear me?"

Snake raised his head higher, but his fists were white and clenched. He didn't say a word.

The Sergeant had now arrived, and was watching the scene unfold, just like the rest of L- Unit. Alexei had a very bad feeling that something worse would happen.

"This is my final warning," the K- Unit Captain's voice carried across the immense blanket of silence easily. Snake's eyes flashed to the Sergeant once more, gaining confidence, before he returned his Captain's glare with a simple shake of his head.

"No," replied Snake, firmly. "I'm- I will not accept the punishment from you."

Alexei mentally groaned. He half- wished he was still in the Hospital Wing, suffering from numerous injuries and a bad cold, but not pulled around like a tug- of- war game. Already, he could feel gazes shifting onto him, wondering where the remaining K- Unit member would stand. It didn't help that L- Unit had abandoned normal procedure, and now everyone was watching the drama unfold with keen interest. Well, at least Alexei wasn't in the spotlight. The teenage spy's eyes found Wolf's rigid figure, and Alexei briefly wondered if the K- Unit Captain had burst a vein. But he didn't look angry; not overly so. Instead, his face had an unsettling pained expression, before Wolf's eyes hardened once again.

"That settles it, then," Wolf said, his voice suddenly quiet. It sounded eerie. The K- Unit Captain walked directly up to Snake, and stopped in front of his ex- friend, face- to face. "You are dismissed from my Unit."

Alexei tried his best not to feel shocked. Snake had it coming for him, he knew- but Alexei detected a soft side on Wolf's character, too. The Captain valued his friends- greatly. He would go for extra lengths for his unit out of loyalty, like Fox had once told him before. And Wolf had been proud, was exceedingly so, of his Unit. K-Unit, that now was torn apart.

Not for the first time, Alexei cursed his own existence. If he hadn't been here, SCORPIA would not have acted, and MI6 wouldn't have needed to assault Eagle, so Snake wouldn't have betrayed K- Unit, and nobody would get hurt. It was _all his fault. _And it would be his fault, too, if Wolf lost his position over this.

"No can do," Snake said, going for a cool voice, but all he sounded was croaky and uncertain. "I've got two Gold Stars, Wolf. It's in the rulebook. You can't _dismiss _me."

Well, that was the truth. It was a new law in the soldier's career to prevent the Captains from weeding out talented members from his unit. In the past, authoritative figures often did so in fear that his unit members may overthrow him someday. It was a simple solution to weed out the good soldiers, to prevent the loss of his position. Now, officially, any member holding the Gold Star could no longer be dismissed by the Captain, unless the decision was backed by the Sergeant or any other Council member.

And there was no way the Sergeant would back _Wolf _up.

And the worse thing was, the atmosphere was horribly tense. Alexei was sure that Wolf was well aware of L- Unit's constant sniggers behind their backs.

Not for the last time, Alexei mentally groaned again at this sudden power play in K- Unit. This was a truly horrible morning.

Seriously, what was Snake _thinking? _Snake was Wolf's _friend, _wasn't he?

There was much glaring and defiant upturned noses around, but in the end, the silence broke as everyone got into the freezing water at the Sergeant's command. At least one good thing came out of the argument- everyone's mind was preoccupied, so no one paid the slightest attention to Alexei, whose body build was nothing like a twenty year old.

When noon came, Wolf decided to miss lunch altogether. Alexei wanted to do the same, just to escape a one- to- one meeting with Snake, but decided to forfeit the idea for the sake of his rumbling stomach. Anyway, he could always ignore the man.

So with much trepidation and second- guessing his decision, Alexei sat down gingerly at K- Unit's table. As usual, a round of gruel and bread was handed out all around, and Alexei pocketed Wolf's share, unsure whether he should hand it to the K- Unit Captain later or to let Fox have it when he dropped by the Hospital Wing.

To Alexei's dismay, Snake appeared not long after, followed by a grim looking Sergeant. It looked as though they had had an argument. Alexei had no wish to know what it was about.

Snake sank into the seat beside Alexei.

Oh no.

Then, to Alexei's rising panic and annoyance, Snake gave him another fake, shiny smile.

When would that man _give it up?_

Alexei decided that was the most hated expression in the world. Not wanting to strike up an argument, however, Alexei gave Snake a grimace in return before attacking his bread with unusual speed. The constant fear that Snake might try to engage him in a conversation drove all thoughts from Alexei's mind, and within three minutes, the teenage spy had finished his share.

Alexei sprang up to his feet, still chewing the remaining bread he had left. "I'll- just go now," he said hurriedly, in case Snake found his wordless departure rude. "See you later." Alexei took off like lightning.

A familiar vice- like grip closed around his shoulder. Alexei winced, not from pain, but from the impending sense of dread.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you," began Snake.

Alexei shrugged him off, not turning back. "I'm sorry, but I promised to visit Fox in the Hospital Wing, so I'm kind of busy."

"I'll be done in five minutes," Snake continued, resuming his grip on Alexei. "Let's go to somewhere more private."

"No thanks," said Alexei at once, the word 'private' setting off alarm bells in his head. "I'd rather you say it here. You can start now."

"I wasn't paid to assault you, alright!" snapped Snake, and Alexei saw hurt flash across Snake's features for a brief moment, which was most surprising. "Five minutes."

He steered the teenage spy away.

Soon, Alexei found himself walking amongst the forest with Snake. At least, it was a patch of forest that Alexei knew- they were pretty close to the Hospital Wing from here. When they reached a familiar clearing, Snake stopped, and Alexei stepped back a little, looking wary.

"I won't lie and say I'm not after the Captain's position," Snake began, directly to the point. "To tell the truth, I've been after it ever since I entered the service, but Wolf was a-... well, I respected him. So I didn't try anything funny."

"You can say it, you know it's the truth," Alexei said, his voice cold. "Wolf was a good Captain. No, I correct my statement- Wolf _is _a good Captain."

"Oh yeah?" sneered Snake. "Do you really think so? Good Captains bully their unit members, don't they?"

Alexei met Snake's gaze evenly. "He's a good captain to those who are his unit members in his eyes. I don't like Wolf, nor do I enjoy being in K- Unit, but that doesn't mean I'll help you overthrow Wolf. And frankly, I think I have good reason to dislike him, unlike you."

"And pray tell, why is that?" Snake's voice was dangerous now.

"Let's face it," said Alexei, suddenly finding courage. "I am an outsider in K- Unit. Everyone hates me and bullies me, Fox aside. I have been here for 3 weeks, observing this unit from a distance. And evidence suggests that everyone, including Wolf, trusts you and views you as their friend- and that you are an extremely idiotic _fool _for throwing away all of it for the want of power."

The elder man looked positively murderous now. "Friends, is it?" he said in a low voice. "If that's the term you use for unit members who distrust each other, are selfish, and blame one for another's fault..."

"_Not your fault?" _Alexei repeated, disbelieving. "So the K- Unit tents burst up in flames without explaination, is that it?"

The teenage spy wanted to say more; he was angry at Snake, angry at Fox as well, for behaving normally towards the backstabber. It didn't help that, an unconscious part of Alexei blamed his own guilt of Eagle's assault on Snake too. Alexei's mood was already soured by Fox's absence, and the constant load of stress heaped on him. He didn't want to have anything to do with this ridiculous power play at first, but he had somehow found himself in the middle of it without meaning to, just like how he had ended up becoming a teenage spy. And now since it was clear where he was going to stand, Alexei decided to forge ahead all the same.

Fox was right; he had forewarned Alexei on Snake's possible motives. The psychologist- soldier certainly proved most observant of others. But Fox had made a desperate mistake of entrusting Alexei, of all people, to unite K- Unit again. Alexei had frowned upon the entire thing and refused to have anything to do with it from the very start, but Fox was persuasive, and he had drawn a blackmail card. And a part of Alexei reminded himself that this was partly his fault, too...

"Let me get this straight," Snake said, his tone suggesting incredubility. "You are now standing up for _Wolf _against me?"

"I'm not standing up _for _Wolf," said Alexei, glaring at the man before him. "I'm doing this because he has the right to be Captain, not you. Things are already horrible enough as it is with Wolf as Captain. I can't even deign to imagine what would happen if _you _were to take over."

In a flash, Snake had Alexei pinned to a tree trunk. Alexei didn't even try to struggle or fight back- he knew that by hitting him, Snake would effectively lose any form of support he'd wanted to obtain from Alexei. Snake seemed to come to the same point, because he lowered Alexei almost at once and took a step backwards.

"If you support me," Snake began, "I promise I'll be a better Captain. I will have you as my right hand. Wolf has always abused his position of power; this time, it could be your turn. You could have the chance to be in a position of power over him. You could let him have a taste of what it's like to be in your shoes. Also I have established relationships with a few Council members as well, I can help you get any form of position you want, or pass tests. By the looks of things, I gather that you do not fully understand the value of a cooperative relationship established with me, so I'll-..."

He trailed off at Alexei's dangerous look.

"You make me _sick," _spat Alexei, his eyes blazing as he saw the real Snake for the first time in his life. "I have barely been here for a month, and I have more loyalty than you towards K- Unit. Fox, Eagle, Wolf, they treated you like their _friend. _And not only you betrayed all of them, hurt all of them, you are planning for revenge! Without remorse, without conscience. I can't believe Fox, of all people, would have been that blind as well."

Silence was met at his words. Alexei couldn't care less of what Snake thought of him now, or if the SAS soldier would now plot revenge against him as well. He only needed to endure this hellhole for one more month at the most, anyway, before he went for another two weeks' worth of examinations, to qualify as a spy, one weeks' worth of waiting for his results, and by the start of the next month, he'd be back with SCORPIA and revenge. He needn't get too involved in this stupid powerplay business.

Alexei turned to walk off, but Snake had started to talk again.

"I didn't want it to be like that," the elder of the pair said, his voice quiet but defiant at the same time. "I wasn't planning to do anything of that sort. But MI6 snatched the decision away from me."

The last sentence stopped Alexei in his tracks.

_But MI6 snatched the decision away from me._

"That was a lame excuse to cover up your hunger for power," Alexei shot back at him. "I don't suppose MI6 is paying you to become Captain as well?"

"I wasn't going to overthrow Wolf, but I've done everything that MI6 told me to, and nobody forgives me. Well, since that's the case, why do I need to mope around and suffer? I might as well enjoy my well- earned reward!" Snake spat the last few words.

"So you're doing all this in defiance?" said Alexei, incredulous and angry at the same time. "Because the others have a good reason not to forgive you?"

Snake shot Alexei one last glance. "I'm not having this conversation with you," he said. "All I wanted to tell you is that my side is more influential, and it'd bring you more good if you support me instead of Wolf. We're having the vote soon- the Sergeant got an approve from the Council. All the K- Unit members are at liberty to vote for either me or Wolf as the next Captain, but since Eagle is unconscious, the Sergeant is representing him as well."

"Fox will definitely vote you down," said Alexei. "...and that leaves me to make the decision."

Snake shrugged. "Think about my words carefully before you act, _Alexei Gerald. _I had been expecting your full cooperation, seeing as how Wolf has treated you in the past... but I see now you feel different. I really don't understand you."

He left, not looking back. Alexei glanced at Snake's retreating figure before heading towards the Hospital Wing, an expressionless mask schooled upon his features.

Behind a tree, Wolf watched, dumbstruck as his least favorite member in K- Unit moved steadily out of his sight. It was only after Alexei had disappeared into the doors of the Hospital Wing before the K- Unit Captain slid out of his hiding place, his eyes unfocused.

"I really don't understand you either," he murmured.

**A/N: Thanks for all who reviewed in the last chapter! Here's a quick update in appreciation towards your support!**

**Don't forget to drop me a thought for Chapter 11, will you?**

**Cheers,  
>Epsilon Scorpii<strong>


	12. Chapter 12: A Familiar Stranger

**¬Last One Standing¬  
><strong>_Chapter Twelve:  
>A Familiar Stranger<em>

_DISCLAIMER: _I own nothing of Anthony Horrowitz's characters. Here's just an ordinary 14 year old girl wishing she does. Hope you enjoy the story!

Thanks so much to those who reviewed in the last chapter! Your encouragement fuelled my inspiration to write. Hence, Chapter Twelve is dedicated to: _**yassen, G, Meg, riderfan, Corrie CrossBearer, f, bluelove22, ReillyScarecrowRocks, l, Synchro Lover **and** writer with sprite.**_

* * *

><p>Alexei trudged off in the direction of the Hospital Wing, his mind still reeling from the conversation he had had with Snake.<p>

Had he actually stood up for _Wolf? _Part of him couldn't believe it himself, but he supposed his reaction had came about too naturally when he encountered Snake's oily charm. Fox would have a field day analyzing his mind today.

He stepped out into the clearing as he watched the familiar sickly white block rise out of the forest. Branches crunched beneath his foot as he continued his brisk pace forwards. His 'private talk' with Snake went a bit longer than expected; he only approximately fifteen minutes left before he had to report back to K- Unit.

Quickening his pace, Alexei followed his usual path up the staircase into the main receptionist, before heading down the second corridor himself, which was actually against regulations. But he had been here so frequently that the nurses had given him liberty, so now he was unofficially allowed to barge into Fox's ward without assistance during visiting hours.

"Sorry for being late," Alexei started as he punched the five digit code and slid through Fox's door, "I was caught up by the Sergeant..." he trailed off at Fox's dramatic scowl.

"Um, what's the problem?" he asked, before his gaze landed on the tray laid before Fox. It was filled with Hospital Wing food- namely, the tasteless, suspicious- smelling colloid. "Ah."

Fox grimaced and nodded gravely. "Ah indeed. I'm thanking Wolf for this. He practically _forced _the first few spoonfuls down my throat, and wouldn't take 'not hungry' as an answer. He just grew all the more annoyed when I told him you'd sneak me proper food later."

Alexei winced. "Probably because he might've figured out by now why his untouched food keeps on disappearing before he gets around to eat it," he said. But all the same, the teenage spy reached into his jacket pocket, and produced Wolf's share of lunch, before tossing it to a grinning Fox.

"Thanks," Fox said, "You really know how to cure a patient."

Alexei snorted.

"So, tell me about today," Fox said as he chewed on the tough bread. "Did Snake get around to power playing already?"

"Yeah," Alexei confirmed the statement. "Did Wolf tell you about it?"

"No," Fox answered, "But his expression certainly did. Wolf was in a sour mood throughout his visit. So much for cheering up the poor patient here."

Alexei laughed, despite himself, before he sobered almost immediately. "Snake's really set his mind on it," he told Fox. "He was all for the Captain's position, said he had been after it ever since he entered the SAS, just that he didn't try anything funny since he respected Wolf at first. Now that their friendship's gone awry... I suppose Snake has changed his mind."

Fox had stopped eating. "This is not good," he muttered. "Snake is probably just doing all this in an act of defiance. The real Snake I know won't backstab his friends just for the sake of power."

Alexei felt annoyed. "The real Snake you know?" he said, trying not to sound too scathing. "Why not let's try splitting it into two sentences. The real Snake and the Snake you know. They're two different people."

The elder of the pair raised an eyebrow. "Who's the psychologist here?"

"Who's the patient suffering from excessive smoke inhalation here?" shot back Alexei.

"Fair point," Fox admitted. "Is there going to be a vote for the Captain's position?"

"Yes," Alexei nodded listlessly. "It's taking place two weeks from now. The Sergeant's stepping in for Eagle, because he's still unconscious." He looked at Fox in the eye, "You're going to vote for Wolf, aren't you?"

Fox fell silent; contemplating. "I don't know," he said slowly. "Maybe..."

"What?" snapped Alexei. "You can't possibly _think _of-"

"Maybe we could teach Snake a lesson that way!" reasoned Fox, before Alexei could interrupt again.

"Bad idea," said Alexei at once. "By the time Snake learns it, Wolf will be over the edge. Hell, judging by his _pride, _Wolf would probably commit suicide once the results come out. Or maybe he'll kill Snake before he kills himself."

"Or maybe he will kill all of us," suggested Fox.

"So, you're admitting that's a bad idea, right?" Alexei asked.

Fox shrugged. "I need to think," he responded vaguely. He looked outside the room window, his eyes far off, but in truth he was keeping an eye on Alexei, trying to figure out the teenage spy's thoughts. For a while, both remained silent, until Fox broke it.

"You've not gone near the forest cavern when I've been here, have you?" he asked suddenly. Alexei looked completely surprised by this abrupt change of topic.

"No," he answered, but a guarded look appeared on his features. That reminded him- the whispered date, time and location in his ear almost a week ago. He hadn't given it much thought... but he'd made up his mind to drop by, plainly out of curiousity. And that appointed date was today. At midnight.

"Good," Fox said, smiling, but his eyes were searching. "Don't go near there again, Horse. I have a bad feeling about that place. All unfortunate accidents always revolve around that area. It seems something like our version of Bermuda Triangle."

Alexei laughed a bit at that. "Relax and recover quickly, then, so you can keep an eye out for me," he joked, before turning to leave the Hospital Wing.

* * *

><p><em>Forest Cavern<em>

Night fell quickly across Brecon Beacons. Exhausted, all the SAS soldiers made their way tiredly to their respective camps, retiring for the night. Alexei pretended to do so, too; and patiently waited for the rest to fall asleep. As Fox and Eagle were still in the Hospital Wing, K- Unit had one spare tent left, so Alexei, Snake and Wolf had one tent to themselves.

Silence soon reached Alexei's ears. He checked his watch. An hour more to go.

Twisting and turning, Alexei forced his eyes open, ignoring a blossoming headache. He couldn't fall asleep right now; he needed to meet whoever it was, presumably Yassen Gregorovich- at the forest cavern at midnight.

_"Aren't you looking for Ian Rider?"_

The whisper haunted his thoughts, causing Alexei to groan and turn and lie on his right side. This was all so infrutiatingly confusing. Was this part of his mission SCORPIA assigned him? But what did that mysterious - presumably- Gregorovich- man mean? It didn't make any sense. Surely Yassen would know that Ian Rider was long dead, since he was the one that shot him. But apparently Alexei was supposed to be looking for Ian Rider. Or maybe... Gregorovich, or whoever he was, was just trying to mess up his head? Well, he was certainly succeeding.

Or maybe, that was just a trap to lure Alexei out of K- Unit campsite? That made even more sense. He was about to fall for one of the old tricks again! But he couldn't help it; the saying was true. Curiousity killed cat, and would kill Horse. Yet he still couldn't walk away without getting to the bottom of this mystery. Riders' blood still coursed in his veins, and whether he liked it or not, he _couldn't _turn around and fall asleep, not wih a mystery waiting for him to solve mere metres away from where he lay...

Alexei glanced at his watch. A quarter to twelve. Better get going.

He approached the tent flap and peeked out cautiously. It wouldn't do to be caught by retrieval yet again; he'd most certainly be booted out of SAS camp, MI6's support or not. But the coast seemed clear.

Shrugging on his normal SAS jacket, Alexei listened intently for a full minute before deciding it was safe to leave. Quickly, he crept out of his tent and made a run for it, crouching low all the time as he did so. It wasn't until he had reached the forest when he dared to slow down, opting instead to flit behind tree trunks for cover.

When he reached the familiar yet formidable entrance to the forest cavern, Alexei noted that the area had been cordoned off by a barbed, but low wire fence. Even so, he was extremely careful when he walked over it, before he burst through the ivy into the forest cavern itself.

"Alex Rider," a voice greeted him immediately, from the back of the shadows. "You came."

"I'm not Alex Rider," Alex said immediately. "I'm Alexei Gerald. You've got the wrong person."

"No I have not," the man stepped into view. He was dressed in a dark coat, and a wore a black cap low to obscure his features, so he was barely visible in the darkness.

"What makes you so sure?" snapped Alex.

"Because I know you too well," was the confident reply.

Alex snorted. "Many people think they know me, but they couldn't be farther from the truth."

The man shrugged in reply. "Anyway, you have nothing to fear from me. We stand on the same side, for SCORPIA. This is your message, regarding your next orders."

A white envelope was handed over to him. Alex took it gingerly, before pocketing it in his jacket.

"Did Julia Rothman send you here?" the teenage spy asked cautiously.

"Careful," the man murmured. "That is not a name you throw about casually."

The elder of the pair had switched accents now- so his English was accented with lilted Russian.

Alex started at the familiarity of the accented voice. "You- you _weren't _Yassen Gregorovich?"

"For a teenage spy, you can be pretty easy to fool," the stranger sounded amused.

"Then why did you bring up Ian Rider?" countered Alex, feeling suddenly annoyed and angry at the same time. "Just to get me here? Why don't you try being direct for once? That's a low trick, considering SCORPIA."

"It was meant to draw you here, certainly," the man admitted, "because my orders were to bring you here without you knowing the true purpose of coming here. SCORPIA is afraid that you might let slip the true side you are standing on. Your curiousity wouldn't have drawn you all the way here if I hadn't mentioned Ian Rider, would it? But that's not say everything I told you was a lie."

Alex regarded the man before him. "So basically, you're asking me to find Ian Rider in this cavern? Amongst the shadows? You're barking mad if you think you can trick me into that one. Were you going to shoot me when I'm prodding about in the darkness looking for a dead man? But even that does not make sense, because you already said we were on the same side."

The man sighed. "I'm sure you've heard this line before, Alex- sometimes, the most simple conclusion is the true one."

Alex snorted. "Basically, you're trying to convince me in a roundabout sort of way that Ian Rider is still alive?"

"Yes," the man continued, "He is standing here in the midst of us. Precisely 180 degrees to your left..."

Alex's eyes flashed to his left before he could stop himself.

"Then add another 180 degrees," the man continued.

Alex felt his annoyance flare. "Right. You're barking mad. I wonder why I'm still standing here talking to you."

"You have no evidence to pinpoint that I am not Ian Rider, do you?" the man asked.

"Not here on Brecon Beacons," said Alex, "But back at London, there's a huge grave at the cemetry with Ian Rider's name on it. Perhaps that could count as an evidence?"

"It's the body that counts, not the grave," the man seemed slightly amused at the whole situation.

Alex backed away a step. "So now you want me to dig up his body and prove to you that Ian Rider is dead?" his voice was incredulous.

The man shrugged. "I would have been disappointed if you did not ask for secondary confirmation," he said, "But frankly, I'm surprised that you do not recogonise my voice."

"If you were the real Ian Rider, you wouldn't be," whispered Alex dangerously. "Because Ian Rider never spoke much even when he was around. That probably wasn't written in the record book for you to memorize, was it? And let me tell you another fact, Ian never approaches _anyone _unless he is approached first, which makes you a little out of character, doesn't it?"

Alex's voice was cold now. "Stop acting, you can't lie to me. I've lived fourteen years of my life with Ian Rider. You can't just memorize a few facts off a script and expect your lies to be believable."

"Then ask me something only Ian Rider would know," the man challenged. "Then you'll know."

"If you're the real Ian Rider," said Alex, his gaze taunting, "Then where is your watch? You were wearing it the day you were shot, weren't you?"

The man laughed. "Maybe I'd have it with me if you hadn't snatched it from me a few days ago?"

Alex didn't back down, deciding to ask another question instead; something more personal. Something an imposter wouldn't know. "What language was Alex Rider worst at?"

"Chinese," replied the man without preamble, "That boy always messed up the pronounciations and insisted he was correct after that. I hope he has improved since."

Something stabbed him with a pang in his heart, but Alex covered it well with a swift change of question.

"Who was Ian Rider's last... um, secret girlfriend?" Alex fired, deciding to go for a lie.

The man laughed heartily. "That's a useless trick, Alex Rider. We both know that Ian Rider never had one."

"Well, that's where you're wrong isn't it?" Alex tried to make his voice sound triumphant and confident.

This time, the stranger sounded bored. "I see some things never change over the years. You're still adamant that Ian Rider had some secret girlfriend stashed away in his 35 years as a single? To tell you the truth, the only person Ian Rider had ever shared a bed with was with Alex Rider. And that was only once, because his poor nephew had a horrible nightmare."

Alex felt his face heating up. "That's where you're wrong again, because said uncle _always _abandoned his nephew when the five year old Alex Rider had nightmares."

"Really?" the man's voice was soft.

"Yes," said Alex, pouncing on the statement in triumph, "because Ian Rider said that nightmares are a weakness, and he wanted his nephew to learn to overcome his own fears himself. Well, at least that was the excuse he gave when he attended to his business. But you wouldn't know that, would you, psuedo- Ian Rider?" he spat. "You're disgusting, picking on somebody else's family like that, especially when Ian Rider is already dead! Your claim and existence simply tarnishes his memory."

The man was silent, before replying, "My answer was correct, Alex. Ian Rider only did so once, when Alex was barely five- his nephew was nearly kidnapped the day before."

For a moment, the teenage spy was struck dumb, before he hissed four single words venomously, "You act _sickens _me."

Alex turned to go away, but the man's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"You haven't proved _your _claim, Alex Rider. Since you can't prove me wrong, as far as we are concerned, I am Ian Rider."

"There's nothing else to prove!" Alex spat angrily, his fists tightly clenched. "Stop playing this _sick _joke. It won't get you anywhere."

"You're still not proving anything, Alex," the man said lightly. "Go on, ask me anything- any question, that only Ian Rider would know. If you can prove me wrong, then I will not stop you when you walk away from me."

"Really?" Alex was taunting now. "Surely that is a bit overconfident of you? Don't you fear that I might blow up your cover?"

"Go on, then," challenged the man. "Prove it, then I'll let you walk away."

The teenage spy nodded slightly, his mind raking through the many memories he had previously tried so hard to bury with his past life. Something the man wouldn't know... something only Ian Rider would. Something personal...

"When was the first time Ian was scolded violently by Jack?" Alex shot another ridiculous question, absolutely confident that he wouldn't get it right. Surely there was no such thing written in a report about Ian Rider!

The man immediately stopped, not answering, as though thrown by the statement.

Silence fell, before Alex laughed humorlessly, feeling oddly relieved.

"You can give it up now. Game ov-"

"25th of December nine years ago," the stranger suddenly said, his voice strangely quiet.

Alex felt as though someone had punched him in the gut. "What? How?" he whispered, taking an unconscious step backwards. "You- all the time, you were spying?"

"Because Alex stayed up all night previously to prepare a Christmas surprise, but Ian Rider disregarded it," the man continued relentless, his voice flat.

"Just how long were you bloody spying on us!" burst out Alex angrily, "I know it's not making much sense, but it's the only explaination I've got-"

"Really?" the voice was eerily quiet. "Is that the only explaination?"

"Who are you?" Alex snapped, his heart beating wildly in his ribacage, suddenly drawing and pointing a shotgun at the stranger in black. "Tell the truth. Don't you _dare _lie."

By now, his fists were clenched so tightly around the weapon's handle that his knuckles were white.

The stranger took a step forwards, but Alex backed away, holding the gun in front of him.

"Do you need more proof?" the man asked, still advancing, "Well, I can tell you more."

"_Who are you!" _Alex shouted the question, as though it would put him in a position of power. "Why do you know all this! Why are you here?"

"26th of February five years ago. You learnt hiking at Switzerland," the stranger continued. "9th of August six years ago back at London, you drove your first jeep."

"Stop this," Alex said, still backing away. "Answer my question!"

"6th October eight years ago... do you remember the tightrope walkers?" the stranger continued. "7th July four years ago, you learnt scuba diving. 5th March eleven years ago, you learnt how to dog- paddle."

Alex clicked the gun warningly, though he couldn't stop his hands from shaking. "Tell me, who are you?" he yelled angrily, abandoning caution.

"Surely you know that by now," the stranger spoke, his voice soft, "Don't fool yourself any longer."

The stranger had walked a circle around Alex in slow paces, his footsteps barely heard above the pounding rain outside. Alex tensed, waiting for the man to draw near. This stranger from SCORPIA knew too many secrets of his past; he couldn't let him walk away just like that. He needed his answers. Had SCORPIA been spying on him all this while? Because there was no other explaination- the stranger couldn't possibly be who he kept hinting he was- it was just another lie, another tune for Alex to play along, and he wouldn't give SCORPIA the satisfaction by doing so...

The man was standing directly behind Alex now. The teenage spy suddenly went rigid, then lashed out with a powerful back- kick, spinning around for a double- blow as he did so. But the man swerved away with incredible speed; reaching up and grabbing Alex's ankle before the teenage spy could deliver the blow. Within seconds, it was over- the stranger had Alex pinned painfully on the ground, his grip on the teenage spy's shoulder unyielding.

Alex's eyes met the stranger's piercing gaze, and he quickly looked away. However, strong fingers tilted his chin upwards, forcing him to look directly at the man.

"You can't defeat me, Alex," the stranger said, his voice soft. "I taught you every move."

Beneath the stranger's grip, Alex stilled, and his breath came even faster than before. He tried wriggling away, but no avail- he was caught in the piercing emerald gaze.

"Scuba- diving, hiking, BASE jumping, tightrope- walking, swimming, martial arts, French, German, Spanish... I taught you everything, Alex. You can't use them against me."

"Get- off- me," Alex said through gritted teeth. "I'm not going to fall for such an old trick."

"Old trick?" the man laughed, and the strange familiarity of it stabbed Alex's heart with a pang. "You're using the same trick as I am, Alex Rider."

Alex struggled beneath the man's grip. "You're not making any sense. First you start telling me fib stories about my past, then-"

"Fib stories?" repeated the stranger. "You are accusing me of lying?"

"It's not true," Alex continued, trying to bluff his way out, "You've got all the facts memorized wrongly, I didn't learn how to drive a jeep until I was eleven-"

"How many times must I teach you this lesson?" the stranger frowned. "You can never fool me, Alex."

"What do you know about _my _past? Are you claiming you know me better than I do myself?" Alex shot back. "You're being ridiculous! What do you know of my life? Just because you memorize a few facts doesn't mean you know everything about me!"

The stranger was silent for a moment, before speaking, "I know your past as well, Alex. Because I was there."

Alex tensed as the man's grip left him. Quickly, Alex pushed the elder man off him and jumped to his feet, trying to regain his composure, to show that the man's words hadn't affected him at all.

But when he looked up, the man was no longer a stranger. Tufts of blonde hair he shared was revealed beneath the dark cap. Green eyes turned back to their awfully familiar piercing azure; the strong features of a Rider beneath his mask-

"Perhaps you believe me now," the stranger- no, _Ian Rider, _spoke.

Alex took a step backwards, the horrible feeling of tears stinging his eyes as he did so.

It couldn't be.

_It couldn't be true! _

Ian Rider was dead. Alex had seen his coffin, buried at the cemetry.

He'd carressed the wood. Placed a white rose on it and left Ian Rider behind in a life he was trying to forget. Yet, the man before him- Ian was _here, _he had proved who he was. Ian Rider, the familiar mysterious figure that Alex never understood. The one unfathomable guardian that Alex never knew whether he was pretending to care or not to...

"Yassen did it," Ian continued, though he did not try to close in again, "He did shoot me, but never meant to kill. I've been in a coma state for weeks." He stopped. "Yassen used bribery and blackmail on several occassions and MI6 was duped. I heard you became a teenage spy, but it was quite unbelievable until I witnessed it myself."

Alex's head snapped up.

"I last saw you on Yassen's boat last year; I was in the shadows," admitted Ian, his voice completely neutral, as though telling someone else's story. "I watched you escaped the bull fight. I had Yassen warn you not to return to Cray's estate, but you ignored him." A small smile lit Ian's face,"Did you notice the driver of the van, when you pretended to be a ninja? I was proud, but afraid at the same time, but you plunged through alright... though you might have wondered how your escape's timing was so perfect? I only managed to delay the retrieval for a bit. You might wonder how Yassen survived the bullet on Air Force One, too..."

The silence was unbearable; every second felt painful. Nothing made sense anymore. Everything seemed like whirl of color, trying to draw him in. He didn't understand.

"Why are you here?" Alex whispered, his eyes dull. Deep inside, his heart throbbed so painfully it was almost numb.

"Turn your back on all this," Ian Rider told him. "I did not tell Yassen the truth, and curse him for sending you this far. But I want you to leave SCORPIA alone. Walk away from all of this right now."

Alex stared back defiantly at his uncle. "No," he said simply, lightly, so it wouldn't betray his constricted heart. "I'm sorry. I've come too far."

"That was an order, Alex," Ian said, his tone suddenly hard. He reached forwards and grasped his nephew by Alex's shoulders, noticing how tall Alex had became since they last met. "I've risked everything coming here to warn you-"

"Then you're too late!" Alex hissed, suddenly angry, shrugging out of his uncle's grip. "Too late, not by a year, but for fifteen years! You never were there for me, never was around, never even cared for me during these miserable years I've lived. You've effectively lost every right over me. Legally, Ian Rider is not my guardian, nor my uncle- not anymore. You can't just step into my life and manipulate me around when you feel like it."

"Manipulation?" Ian hissed, his voice suddenly venomous. "I see. So that is what you think of me."

"Yes, it is," spat Alex, ignoring Ian's bitten lip and clenched fists, "You were always cold, you never said much, never explained anything of yourself to me, yet you demand to know everything of my life and mess it up whenever it suits you-"

"So you're choosing to believe MI6's lies over me?" Ian's voice was cold.

"It's the truth, I can see it for myself," Alex hissed back, his voice of pure venom. "All the little trips and vacations around the world, to supposedly make up for the time you left me alone. The gruelling things I had to learn, your frustration when I couldn't get them right, your smile when I finally succeed- it all makes sense now. And you know what, there were actually stupid moments when I fooled myself into believing your lies that you really _cared."_

He spat the last word with as much contempt as he could muster, then looked away from his uncle, blinking back rebellious tears that threatened to cloud his vision. He couldn't stay there anymore- not with Ian Rider before him.

"I couldn't care even if I wanted to, Alex," said Ian, his voice so soft it hurt to listen to. "You should know that by now. Emotions will only hurt you in this black and white world."

"You say you were there when I encountered Damien Cray," said Alex shakily, "You said you were always there, in the shadows, watching my every move."

"I was-" began Ian, but Alex cut across him, his voice harsh.

"If you truly were, why didn't you say something until now? Where were you, when I was fighting for my life on Air Force One? Where were you when I was dragged again and again into this hellish world! Yassen Gregorovich was lying right _next to me, _Ian. But you took him, rescued him, and left me there. You never thought about me before, why start now! If you had acted differently then, all this wouldn't have happened, and I wouldn't be in this bloody mess between SCORPIA and MI6! What's your motive now, trying to draw me away from SCORPIA? Don't tell me you actually care for my miserable life, because I could've just as easily died in my first four missions, and this one won't make much of a bloody difference."

Alex finished in a venomous whisper, his eyes resting on Ian for a second before looking away.

It pained him, really, to walk away now, but he had no choice. Staying would only make his decision waver.

When did taking a step hurt so much? Alex took a shuddering breath and stumbled determinedly forwards, torn between letting all of it go and plunging on with his mission. But part of him knew he couldn't stop- he'd gone too far, he was _forced _to move on. There was no choice now.

A familiar strong grip reached out and grasped his shoulder none too gently, yanking him backwards with a harsh tug. Alex felt himself stumble backwards, and a crushing grip enveloped him, squeezing his shoulder blades. Taken aback, a single tear slid along the bridge of his nose, dripping onto Ian Rider's coat. Alex stilled, his head half- buried in his uncle's chest, his mind paralysed; his body in complete shock. The searing numbness was close to painful now, uncontrollable-

"No, don't," Alex half- shouted, trying to pull away. "Let me go! This isn't going to stop me, so you can stop acting like that- this is totally out of character for you. I'm not falling for your tricks again-!"

Ian Rider did not let go; on the contrary, his grip tightened, holding the teenage spy towards himself, almost crushing Alex, but he did not care.

"Let go of me," Alex said, his breath ragged. "Stop this!"

"No," Ian's reply was simple. Then, in a fierce whisper, "I've already kept my distance for fifteen years."

"This doesn't sound like you- you're making me wonder if you're actually Ian Rider," Alex started, his voice strained, close to cracking.

"But isn't this what you wanted?" Ian hissed in his ear, "Whenever I came back from my missions, you always told me to never go away again."

Silence fell, and Alex struggled to keep up his mask of indifference, hating every tear that betrayed his true feelings.

"A six year old Alex Rider said that," Alex whispered, his voice broken. "I'm fifteen now, Ian. I've made up my mind. I don't need you in my life anymore."

The words caught in his throat even as they left his mouth, but Alex didn't take them back.

For a brief hopeful moment, Alex thought that Ian would simply ignore him and choose to go _his own way, _but the pressure around his shoulder froze, before it loosened. His heart fell for some indiscernable reason, and Alex kept his face hidden in the shadows; not looking at Ian as his ex- guardian walked away from the forest cavern. A hand rested on his shoulder for the briefest of moments, before it was gone.

Alex looked up, but Ian had already left, so abruptly, so swiftly, he couldn't have taken back his words even if he wanted to.

Alex rested against the trees behind him, his breath jarring, ragged, before throwing back his head, laughing manically as he held up SCORPIA's message in his hands. Tears and sobs raked through him as he did so, forcing him to the ground before where Ian Rider once stood.

He'd gave up on Alex so easily. He'd just left. He didn't even look back.

Didn't even ask, how was he? How did he survive the last few missions? How he had achieved the incredible, that none others ever had? Or even a simple question he'd heard countless times from _Fox, _a person he'd met for barely a month, "Are you alright?" He, Alex Rider, was the pathetic and needy one. Because he was the only one that wondered about Ian Rider, the only one that had to fight trying not to recall the little memories he had with him. The only one that kept the small photograph taken years ago that contained the moment he cherished the most. The only one that remembered the rare praise that fell from Ian's lips.

"I _hate_ you," Alex whispered out into the darkness.

His eyes followed after an imaginary figure in black, who was retreating into the dark shadows, into the rain, where Alex would never see again.

**A/N: Cookies to those who drop me a thought! Did I do the scenes okay? I originally planned for Ian to come back a bit earlier, but there you go. Hope you liked it!**

**Review please?  
>Epsilon Scorpii<strong>


	13. Chapter 13: Another Start

**¬Last One Standing¬  
><strong>_Chapter Thirteen:  
>Another Start<br>_

_DISCLAIMER: _I own nothing of Anthony Horrowitz's characters. Here's just an ordinary 14 year old girl wishing she does. Hope you enjoy the story!

_**Thanks so much for all your reviews, I really couldn't thank you enough! This chapter is dedicated to my dear readers and reviewers, particularly those who supported me heartily in the last chapter: particularly **l __**for your great encouragement,** the AwesomeJellyBean, Kalalexshipper4evah, Dani9513, Blissful Winter, fanfictionaddict1, IFoundAPickle, SynchroLover, ALEXRIDERFOREVER, Writer with Sprite, Athenalw and Meg- **you certainly boosted my confidence and inspiration by a million- thank you! :D**_

* * *

><p>Alexei stumbled out of the forest cavern in a dazed trance. Rain was pounding heavily by then, lightning flashing across the skies. For the first time in his life, Alexei felt completely alone. Abandoned. The last few times when he'd been here, Fox had been following beside him. For this moment, he didn't belong anywhere. Not in the world of MI6. Not in K- Unit. Not in his house back at Chelsea. Not at Brookland school. Even Ian Rider had left him.<p>

He felt worse than when Ian Rider had supposedly died. It made all the difference in the world; that Ian Rider had left Alex unwillingly and willingly. Ian hadn't left on his own accord at first, but he could have easily chosen to come back. But Alex really should have known better what to expect. Ian Rider wouldn't have just returned for the sake of one nephew whom it was apparent he didn't care for.

The rain was so heavy; the entire forest was obscured in both fog and rain. Alexei blundered sub- consciously through it, hitting a tree accidentally twice as he did so, but he didn't look as though he realized what he was doing. His eyes were unfocused and he was totally drenched to the skin. If he got lost now, even the retrieval would have a hard time trying to find him.

He felt stupid. He had been messing up everything from the very start. Messed up K- Unit, messed up his mission, and messed up the last chance he had to return his normal life, most probably also the last chance he had of talking to Ian Rider ever again. Would Ian ever seek his nephew ever again, after Alex had made it clear he wasn't walking away from SCORPIA? Was Ian working for SCORPIA, since he was the one that handed Alex the letter?

The teenage spy stopped beside one of the trees, feeling completely lost. Droplets of rain slipped trailed across his face. Cold penetrated his very skin. The wind buffeted him by all sides. He couldn't care less. He wanted to curl up into a ball, until all of it went away. Until he could leave this messy nightmarish reality behind. Guilt, sorrow, regret... why were humanly emotions so complicated? If only he were a little more like Ian Rider, colder, and a heartless being, perhaps he wouldn't be experiencing this. Everything would have been much simpler...

Something heavy landed on his shoulder.

Alexei glanced across half- heartedly, almost certain it was only a figment of his imagination... but the hand on his right shoulder felt real. He blinked a few moments, his heart suddenly thudding; could it possibly be-?

He raised his head a little to look at the figure, then felt his heart lurch and fall at the same time. Alexei drew away from the touch, sinking deeper into the pool of mud around him.

"Get a move on, will you?" said a gruff voice, and Alexei felt the hand yank his upwards. Unwillingly, he allowed himself to be dragged to his feet.

"W-Wolf," he managed to say; the cold was so intense he was almost chattering.

He didn't know what to think. What was Wolf doing here? In the rain? Had Wolf heard everything between him and Ian Rider? Did Wolf know who he really was?

Wolf swallowed, as though he was going to say something very awkward, before speaking, "A-Are you okay?"

Alexei merely stared, blankly.

"I mean, you look as though you've been shot by a gun," the K- Unit Captain said a little self- consciously. "Well, you're certainly pale enough... and you have that unfocused look. Considering your skill, you didn't actually shoot yourself by accident, did you?" Wolf said, suddenly accusing. Alexei glanced down at his hands. He was still holding the shotgun.

Numbly, Alexei shook his head, still not quite believing that Wolf wasn't some kind of phantom.

"No- well, I suppose not..." Wolf trailed off. Silence fell again, and Alexei was still as quiet as a dummy, staring unseeingly into space. Wolf cleared his throat loudly; it was even heard above the rain.

"If you're done swimming in your uniform, you might like to go back to the camp," Wolf said, his voice caught between threatening and joking. Alexei didn't know what to make of the man.

"Why are you here?" Alexei asked dully.

"Well... I'm your Captain!" Wolf nodded, as though talking to himself. "Yes, that's it. If you go missing, I'm to be held personally responsible for you. And I- well, I wasn't going to follow you about- I'm not that nosey- but since you were gone pretty long, and judging by your sense of direction, not to mention the rain... well, I had no choice but to follow. Any questions?"

Wolf snapped out the last bit. Feeling faintly amused, weary yet a little bit relieved, Alexei shook his head. "No, sir."

"Ah, well. That's good... we should go," Wolf said. Alexei noticed that the K- Unit Captain still wasn't looking at him.

"How did you find me, since you weren't following me out from K- Unit camp?" Alexei asked as they trudged through the mud and rain together.

"I'm me," Wolf said simply.

"Oh right. You live in the forest," Alexei muttered, stepping over one of the fallen branches.

"So you still remember that line," Wolf said. Alexei didn't know whether the man sounded threatening or not. With Wolf's sudden mood swings, you never knew. For safety reasons, Alexei decided to lag behind by a few steps. Wolf, however, chose that unfortunate moment to turn around.

"What are you doing, lagging behind!" he snapped, as though he was trying to be as unpleasant as possible when doing a good deed. "Keep up, or you'll get lost. I have no intention to go plundering through the rain again to find you."

Alexei followed closer, picking up his courage as he did so, "But why did you?" he asked cautiously. "Why did you come to find me?"

"I thought you said you had no questions," muttered Wolf, though it was still loud enough to carry over the rain. "I'm your Captain, Horse. I might not have acknowledged you as my unit member before, but after today... I mean- you clearly, um, let's say... displayed your... loyalty to me- can I phrase it that way?- So from today onwards I will _really _be your Captain." He stopped, before adding in a rush, "I know it sounds stupid. But well, yeah. I take it you have no questions, Horse?"

Of course, again with Wolf, his question sounded more like an order. They were treading a thin line between normalcy and awkward here; Alexei had no intention to make the situation worse. Frankly, he was completely surprised by Wolf's sudden change in behaviour towards him.

"No sir."

Wolf stopped a bit. "You've called me 'sir' twice already," he said suddenly. "Does that mean I've earned your respect, as you put it?"

Alexei sounded faintly amused. "You still remember that, too."

"Yeah well I sure do. It's not everyday I meet an impertinent new recruit. Well, does it?"

Wolf really had a tendency of making his questions threatening.

"Maybe," said Alexei vaguely.

Then a sudden horrible thought struck him.

Alexei stopped in his tracks almost immediately, causing Wolf to look back and scowl. "What now?" he snapped.

"This..." Alexei started, a tad uneloquently, "You're not doing this for the power play thingy right? Just to get a few things straight."

Wolf looked positively livid at the question. It was a wonder how smoothly the man could blend his emotions, from one cool and collected to one furious and red facial expression. Alexei stepped backwards a bit, pressing his lips into a thin line as he cursed himself for asking such an insensitive question. But Wolf did something completely unexpected- he calmed down.

"I suppose your suspicion is understandable," he said at last, slowly, "But I wasn't thinking about power play when I went in blundering after you. Believe it or not, suit yourself."

The K- Unit Captain turned his back on Alexei and continued his way forwards; his footsteps less light- hearted than before. Alexei suddenly felt horrible.

"Sorry," he said to Wolf's back, "I know you're... not like that."

Well, that went badly. But Wolf seemed to relax a bit at the last statement, before adding snappily, "Hurry up," to get over the awkwardness of the situation.

The rest of their journey passed in silence, except for the deafening downpour of rain. When they reached the clearing where the K- Unit tents were, Alexei noted that it was already past one in the morning.

"Well, that was freezing," Wolf remarked in an undertone. Alexei suddenly noticed that the man hadn't been wearing a jacket.

The K- Unit Captain was already bursting into his tent eagerly when Alexei called him back.

"Wolf."

"What now?" the Captain snapped. "Can you at least wait till I've defrosted before-"

"Thank you," Alexei said the crucial two words. Was it Wolf's imagination, or did Alexei have a light smile on his face when he said so?

The youngest member in K- Unit left into his own tent, leaving Wolf still crouching, half- inside his tent flap. For some alarming reason, Wolf had to fight a small modest, proud smile from playing on his lips, and he felt oddly giddy throughout the night when he recalled Alexei's smile.

* * *

><p>He turned his back and forced himself to walk away into the cold rain. He told himself he'd already done as he'd planned, and the plan had failed. There was no point in staying anymore.<p>

"I _hate _you," he heard Alex call out after him.

It stung, briefly, but it was far from stopping him. But still, something brought him to halt behind the shadows, where rain was already falling heavily. Fog obscured the entrance to the forest cavern.

For a moment, all was deathly silent, save the pitter- patter of the heavy downpour, and Ian wondered if Alex had already left. But then he saw a dark shadow stumbling out into the darkness, its footsteps unsteady.

Ian moved slightly closer, watching quietly as Alex blundered past him. He was startled at the sudden pang at his heart when he saw the teenager reach up and brush away his tears mixed with rain. Had he really mattered, at all, to his nephew?

Ian had been a spy long enough to avoid all kinds of emotions, but he didn't know quite what to think of Alex Rider. He'd raised the boy all those years, and had been suddenly and strangely protective of Alex when the boy encountered serious harm, but he'd always thought he was doing it all for the sake of his brother.

He didn't know what did it. He brought Alex on little trips around the world, watching with quiet satisfaction as the boy grew, as his nephew learnt new things each day. He thought the boy would like it; John Rider had loved all types of outdoor activities when he lived. And when Ian wondered why he was doing this, he told himself he was merely training the boy, to be a spy when he grew up, like the Riders had been.

There was a time when he thought it was a good idea, that Alex Rider would make a great spy. But the thought of the boy losing his innocent smile, that Alex would never run another mile to just to please his uncle; imagining the boy growing up in a black and white world made Ian second- guess his decision. But there would still be a day when Ian's luck ran out, the boy needed to fend for himself. There always had been a small part of him that feared MI6 would come up with such an idea- Mr. Blunt had once hinted so before. Now it just proved his prediction right.

He wanted to stop it from happening; probably would have, but when he finally flew back to London, he heard that Alex had become a teenage spy; a successful one too. Barely a few months and three successful missions under his belt. He was proud. He wanted to return; indeed there were moments when he took a longer turn just to see their old house, or maybe catch a glimpse of his nephew once in a while. But he thought the boy would be better off without him messing up his life. Already Ian felt responsible for involving Alex in the world of episionage. He also feared that he would bring more danger to the boy if he were to return. Not to mention, it was pretty clear that Alex no longer needed him in his life.

Money, Jack's visa, bills, fees, the house... everything could be taken care of easily by MI6. Ian was no longer required. So he didn't return, opting instead to follow Yassen in pursuing their next income.

He didn't know when the boy started to grow on him. Perhaps during their many training lessons, in the rare event when Ian was around? He still remembered the first time he actually considered abandoning a mission just because Alex asked him (in a subtle way, of course) to stay. He could still recall the surge of pride when Alex mastered the ridiculously difficult tutorials Ian threw at the boy. But still he pretended not to care; tried to assure himself that he did everything purely out of duty to John Rider, and hoped the boy wouldn't grow attached to him either, so neither would get hurt.

But yet he remembered being startled at how much it hurt, every time like the first, whenever he saw behind Alex's mask of indifference, saw Alex's face fall whenever Ian had to leave for another mission. Remembered suddenly wondering, what if this would be the last time he would ever see his nephew?Remembered the last time he'd given Alex a brief hug, but always telling himself to keep his distance. He started to understand why John was always ecstatic when he fussed over his baby.

When Alex had put up the Christmas trees that year, waited past midnight for him to return; he could no longer fool himself; despite all his many precautions, he had grown fond of the boy. So he made the cruellest decision to stunt the growth of any form of relationship, and turned his back on all of it. Jack had stormed right up to his room, scolded and reprimanded, but the knife of guilt stabbed him only when Alex muttered a small, "Never mind" before leaving. And nobody saw him on the other side of the door.

Then, as the boy grew, Ian noticed Alex had changed into someone more quiet; more subtle, just like him. No longer he went for long measures to please Ian Rider. His nephew became indifferent to everything around him; but there were still small times when he could tell that Alex cared, like when he stumbled home with a bloody hand, or a sling over his arm... little mannerisms; a hidden wince...

A silent crunch shook him out of his reverie.

Alex had stopped walking now; the teenage spy was sitting against a tree, drenched in rain and mud, looking helplessly lost. On impulse, Ian stepped forwards, moving towards the boy, not entirely sure what he was doing. But someone else, a figure in black that had appeared out of nowhere reached Alex first.

He watched. The newcomer hauled Alex to his feet. Trying not to feel jealous; that it should have been him helping Alex to his feet.

With a falling heart, he drew back, then abruptly turned and walked off, shoulders hunched, repeating Alex's words to himself over and over again.

_"I don't need you in my life anymore."_

Alex was right. He no longer had the right to order the boy what to do; effectively gave up the right when he chose not to return when he had the chance.

For now, he could pretend... he could fool himself, that there were no longer any Riders left- but Alexei Gerald and Darren Wynter.

* * *

><p>Even though he had barely slept the day before, Alexei couldn't drift off for the rest of the night. Oblivion seemed too far away, too blissful, for someone like him to enjoy. Everything was horribly messy- his emotions especially. He wasn't even sure what he was supposed to feel. For the last few missions, when encountering danger, a feeling of nothingness had stolen over him, which allowed him to think past his fear and act rationally. The emotionless feeling was something instinctual when faced in tight spots. Again, it had been something Ian Rider had instilled in his nephew before leaving.<p>

Alexei clenched his right fist and punched his pillow with more force than intended. There he went again, being all pathetic over one uncle that didn't even care for him. He felt so stupid; so needy. But like it or not, Ian Rider had raised and trained him for almost fourteen years. He wasn't a figure that could be forgotten that easily.

So many questions, he had yet to ask, but had lost the opportunity when he hadn't stopped Ian Rider from abandoning him altogether. Part of him thought Ian would fall for it. The time when he'd hurled at his uncle, '_for a few moments I actually believed that you cared', _he had meant what he said, but part of him had been hopeful, that Ian would contradict his statement aloud, say the exact opposite. When Ian had acted as he did, he felt weak. The adjective 'pathetic' ought to be designed specially for his use.

There he went again. Thinking of Ian Rider.

This was getting repetitively stupid.

_He _was getting repetititively stupid.

Out of desperation, he seized anything in his mind to ponder on, just to turn his attention away, distract him from thinking about Ian Rider, when he immediately remembered the K- Unit Captain a few tents away. Why hadn't he been thinking of Wolf before? Wolf's sudden change in demeanor was worthier of inspection, worthier for him to ponder on...

But there wasn't much to think about Wolf. He had changed his behaviour towards Alexei because he had stood up for Wolf against Snake earlier that day. Even though his sole aim wasn't to protect Wolf's position. Well, it would be useful to have one less enemy in K- Unit, he reasoned with himself.

Then an awful thought struck him- Wolf hadn't asked him where had he been. Judging by Wolf's personality, it was certainly strange that the Captain hadn't demmanded to know the reason why Alexei had sneaked out of the tent into the rain for an hour. He hadn't by any chance overheard Alexei's conversation with Ian Rider, had he? Or was he merely hiding the fact?

But that wouldn't make any sense either, because Wolf would surely have alerted the authorities by now; Alexei had openly admitted himself as an undercover agent working for SCORPIA. And no SAS soldier in their right mind wouldn't know about SCORPIA.

Well... that was a mystery.

That aside, there was the joyful prospect that Fox should be back in the field in three days. Eagle, however, was still sadly in comatose. No patients were allowed. Again, that was the official rule, but Wolf had blackmailed his way in more than one occassion. Apparently, Fox had mentioned something to Wolf- that constant engagement with a comatose patient might stimulate the patient's will to wake, which is an imperative achievement- so Wolf had barged his way immediately into the ward and talk loudly to Eagle, though he didn't dare move closer.

Then there was the last unit member of K- Unit, Snake.

Fox was certain Snake was doing all this 'mean stuff' out of defiance, because nobody forgave him- not that Snake had been very sorry about his acts in the first place. Snake was doubtless still after the Captain's position, though, so the reason why he was power playing did not make much difference, in Alexei's opinion.

Well... that made the sad mess of K- Unit. Sometimes Alexei didn't blame Wolf for disliking him; indeed, it had been him who wrecked the entire K- Unit within two weeks. He had to break the world record.

Not for the last time, Alexei sighed as he regarded his cruel fate. What kind of teenage life was he leading? A downright miserable one. Not to mention a life filled with horror, guns and second- guessing was waiting for him. The future was very bright. Normal teenagers worried about studies. French. Mathematics. Homework. His thinking was mature. He worried about surviving the next day.

When would it all end already? But even if it did, then what? SCORPIA would never leave him alone, not anymore. Not since he approached them in the first place. Wolf was right, he was a total mess.

The minutes ticked by, bringing him closer and closer to dawn, accompanied by much tossing and turning. Unconsciously, Alexei managed to drift off near three o' clock dawn, his mind still swirling around his depressing thoughts.

* * *

><p>Alexei woke up with a horrible pounding headache the next day. It didn't help that he was resigned to another day of power playing, which soured his mood even more so. He didn't even want to think about yesterday night; dwelling on it might cause him to take his fist to the first person he met.<p>

Snake walked out of his tent.

Well, that was fitting.

Alexei grimaced in the elder man's direction, that walked off briskly to the clearing where all Units were supposed to assemble. Wolf, as usual, was the earliest, and was already well ahead of both of them when they hurried for their morning roll call.

To Alexei's extreme annoyance, Snake caught up with him in no time. Still, he ignored the man, until the taller of the pair barred his way forwards. Alexei scowled and looked up.

"What do you want now?" he snapped irritably.

"My, my, aren't we in a pretty mood today?" Snake drawled, smirking slightly at the look on Alexei's face.

"You know, it would help if you stop singling me out to talk, or smile at me at the most inoppurtune times," Alexei said. He couldn't care less if he offended Snake right now. "It would certainly rank you a little higher than the bottom in my good books."

Snake's jaw tightened, and his smile became visibly forced. "Still stubborn, Horse?" he taunted. "Haven't you learnt the ways of the SAS soldier camp by now? You're being quite an idiot by throwing away the chances you have."

"Tell that to Fox when he recovers, why don't you?" Alexei shot back, his voice hinting something close to anger. "Drop it already, Snake. You know as well as I do that it's pointless trying to convince me. I'm not standing on your side, and never will- because I unlike you value loyalty."

"At least explain to me why do you have to stand on Wolf's side," Snake said, dropping his oily charm, in which Alexei was grateful for. "He was mean to you and planned everything to make your life as miserable as hell even before you set foot in Brecon Beacons, and you decide to help him? Don't tell me you're some sort of fairy goody- goody two shoes, because I don't believe it."

"I'm not standing on Wolf's side, as you put it," said Alexei calmly. "I'm standing on whichever side that is against you."

The teenage spy shot Snake another withering look before leaving the elder man behind, tiredness engulfing the small bit of malicious joy he felt at the lost, disappointed and angry look that appeared on the other's features.

All too soon, they arrived at the clearing. One of the J- Unit members informed their Captain of the Sergeant's steady approach, and everyone immediately filed into neat lines according to their unit. Alexei moved to stand behind Wolf. It was much to his satisfaction when he noticed that a scowling Snake was forced to do the same.

"Everyone in line!" the Sergeant barked, his voice reaching them even before he arrived. "Is all present!"

A loud chorus of "Sir yes sir!"

The Sergeant nodded. "Training routine is the same as yesterday's, and will be for the rest of the week," he informed them. "Number of laps increases by one per day. Any questions?"

Alexei could barely keep the groan from his lips. Wonderful, he thought sarcastically. And he had just praised himself for not giving the game away yesterday. With no drama to watch, he might be noticed... maybe he shouldn't strip off like the others. Maybe he really should swim in his uniform. It couldn't be that bad, could it?

But the uniform would drag and slow him down. He already had enough trouble keeping up with the others without the extra weight of the SAS soldier uniform weighing on him...

"Horse, move on!" snapped Wolf, though it was in a quiet undertone, so the Sergeant wouldn't hear. Alexei shook out of his daze and hurriedly followed the rest deeper into the woods, towards the Grove's Lake, like they had done yesterday.

As usual, all the Unit Captains went through the attendance again once they reached the clearing, and Snake was forced to respond to Wolf's command. Alexei, on the other hand, was inwardly panicking and running through any possible solutions that might help him get away with it unnoticed. The main problem was the stripping off part- once he got into the water he ought to be fine... well, except until the time he would have to emerge. He had sprang out of the water and dressed pretty quickly yesterday, but even so he had drawn a few odd looks from L- Unit. It was an awkward feeling of having so many people sizing you up.

"Will you stop daydreaming, Horse!" Wolf's familiar voice barked in his ear, this time not as soft as before. "Get in the water!"

Most of L- Unit were already wading into the lake to start their first lap. Even Snake was waist- deep in water. Alexei swallowed as he once again witnessed the bulging biceps and muscles everyone seemed to have except him. Indeed, it made him feel like an extraterrestrial.

"You can get in behind me if you like," Wolf suddenly muttered to him.

"What?" Alexei gasped, thinking that he misheard.

"I know it won't help much, but hopefully the big splash I'll create will hide your sorry body build, scrawny," Wolf shot at him. "K- Unit will be a laughing stock if all they see of you is skin and bones. Hurry up!"

Alexei grimaced and peeled off his uniform. Wolf raised his eyebrows in Alexei's direction. Alexei half- turned around to shoot him a glare.

"Stop staring!" the teenage spy snapped self- consciously. "Concentrate on the huge splash you're going to create."

"Right."

Alexei could tell Wolf was feeling something close to amusement by now. Trying to prevent his face from heating up, Alexei crouched behind Wolf's toned muscles and waited.

"Jump now," he hissed to Wolf. He couldn't bear squatting around for another minute; every second was humiliating. Thank goodness the Sergeant was on the other side of the lake, where J- Unit was.

"Here goes," Wolf said neutrally.

With a huge terrifying leap, Wolf left the ground behind and flew through the air, knees drawn to absorb the impact.

It was the most humongous splash Alexei had ever witnessed. Water sprayed horizontal and vertically in all directions, obscuring more than five pairs of eyes- Wolf had landed in the first quarter of the lake.

When the water had cleared, Alexei was already treading water. When Wolf surfaced to much applause, (and shouted but ignored reprimands from the Sergeant), Alexei was already deep underwater. He didn't think he could bear facing the others anymore. What made him accept Wolf's offer? It had been a ridiculous idea from the very start. Already he could imagine it, him, scrawny and scared, and tomato - faced, crouching in his boxers behind a muscled Captain.

Merlin.

When he accepted the mission, he never imagined for a second how humiliating it could have been. If he had, he certainly would have reconsidered his decision.

* * *

><p>"Back already, Wynter?"<p>

Ian turned around, his face once again morphed into an expressionless mask. He didn't reply; there wasn't any need to. Yassen studied the man a little while longer, before shrugging.

"I take it he wasn't thrilled with your appearance?"

"Congratulations Gregorovich, you absolutely right. The entire thing was angsty, and it was raining outside, perfectly something out of a movie- you would have simply loved it," he snapped. He didn't like the line, but he was still building a new personality for the persona Darren Wynter, and was training himself to act accordingly. Darren Wynter was basically almost the opposite of Ian Rider- more on the reckless side, more carefree, less witty comments (which Ian missed dearly), more talking and smiling. However, Yassen had warned him about 'the expressionless mask' thing; it did not fit Darren Wynter's personality well.

Yassen smirked. "These days you sound more like Darren Wynter than the latter."

Again, Ian did not reply. It wasn't until sometime later when he said softly, "Actually, you were wrong on one count. He doesn't need me anymore."

The Russian shrugged. "You may have trained him well, but he's not good enough for SCORPIA, Wynter. All he has is youth on his side."

Ian continued staring into space, uncaring, before he started when he got the hint.

"You can't possibly be thinking of it..." he murmured.

But already there was a glint in Yassen's eye- one he had got to know pretty well.

**A/N: Thanks so much for your kind support! Your reviews were fantastic, and they kept me writing. Originally, I planned this story to be on hold, as you may have read previously from my account, but your constant support fuelled my inspiration... so this chapter is completely built from the support I gained from you. Thanks so much!**

**Please drop me a thought on this chapter? Again, you can review for short- **

**'.' for lovely**

**'O' for okay and**

**'X' for terrible.**

**Please rate!**

Cheers,  
>Epsilon Scorpii<p> 


	14. Chapter 14: Awkward

**¬Last One Standing¬  
><strong>_Chapter Fourteen:  
>Awkward<br>_

_DISCLAIMER: _I own nothing of Anthony Horrowitz's characters. Here's just an ordinary 14 year old girl wishing she does. Hope you enjoy the story!

_**Wow, I really can't thank you enough for your continued support and encouragement! You gave me all the inspiration I needed. This chapter is dedicated to** TheAwesomeJellyBean, **ReillyScarecrowRocks, **KelAlexshipper4evah, PartyPony2, bluelove22, Meg, l, Phantom Lightning, Blissful Winter, fanfictionaddict1, Albany, It's A Bonsai Tree, Dani9513, BlankSlate, Synchro Lover, Writer With Sprite, Kusajishifukutaicho, xlivilightx and Nicky 1992, **because I don't think I would have the crucial inspiration needed for every author to write without all of their reviews. I'm glad and relieved to know that Last One Standing is appreciated at all, so thank you very much! :D**_

* * *

><p>Alexei trudged back to the K- Unit tent, trying desperately to avoid looking at Wolf altogether. Yes, he was grateful for Wolf's help, but that just made facing the man a thousand times worse. He ought to thank Wolf, but couldn't bring himself to do it. His face started heating up whenever he thought of that horrible scene. But he really should show Wolf a bit of... gratitude? Just in case the Captain got offended.<p>

At the thought of the last word, Alexei stopped in his tracks and turned around, coming immediately face- to- face with the K- Unit Captain. Startled, he stepped backwards. Wolf merely smirked, as though he knew what was coming.

Alexei eyed the man, pursing his lips as he did so.

"Well... you already know what I was going to say," he began, for confirmation. Wolf's eyes glinted in amusement. "Right," Alexei continued. "Well, since you know how I feel about the lake thingy... I'll be saved from uttering the-... awkward stuff."

The teenage spy finished and cursed under his breath. Since when had it been so sodding awkward between him and Wolf? They traded insults. Yelled at each other. Threw punches in the other's direction. Shared a tent. Shared a same unit.

The answer came to him- since Wolf started being a tad... nicer since last night. When he'd went blundering into the woods despite the heavy rain to find Alexei, despite his different reasoning behind his actions. Or perhaps it was since Alexei supported Wolf during unit exercise, again despite Alexei's different reasoning behind his actions. In a way, they had both helped and supported each other when the other was in need... okay, that sounded downright sappy.

Wolf immediately put on an air of wondering innocence. "What did you want to tell me, Horse? I'm not a mind reader."

Alexei muttered a few more curses under his breath. "I know you read me," he started again, "So you can stop pretending. I just wanted to make sure you know I felt that way."

Barely had the words left his mouth before Alexei's eyes widened in horror- when he had fully comprehended how those words sounded like.

_I just wanted you to know that I felt that way..._

Something almost word for word from one of Jack's favorite rommance novels...

"Merlin!" Alexei half- yelled exasperatedly as he threw up his hands in frustration. "You're making this horribly _awkward! _To think I hoped you'd save me from this."

Even in the encroaching darkness, Wolf could tell that Alexei's face was redder than usual- again. He bit the inside of his lip to prevent himself from laughing aloud. But at the same time, a shiver passed over his spine as he recalled Alexei's last sentence- it did really sound rather... sappy. Disturbing.

His smile vanished.

This was officially getting extremely awkward.

"Well, you could have just thanked me properly before it all evolved into this," Wolf said, his tone defiant. "Then we'd both be saved the awkwardness."

"I'm the only one awkward here!" said Alexei, his tone sounding a little hysterical, before the teenage spy calmed down inexplicably. "Fine. That's it. Thank you. We're not having this conversation ever again. End of story."

Wolf nodded slowly. "Uh-huh. But I'm Captain, so I set the rules."

Alexei looked incredulous. "Rules?" he spluttered. "Now you're still thinking of rules and Captains and stuff like that? I don't care. We're not having the conversation ever again and that is final!"

The last part sounded a bit hysterical as well. Wolf didn't know why, but alarm bells started ringing off in his mind, making him treat the unit member before him warily.

"Okay, okay. Conversation over forever. Happy? Merlin, it wasn't that bad at the lake. Everyone was watching me, not you."

"I really don't know why I went along with it, it was a ridiculous plan," Alexei continued, before stopping in mid- sentence. "That's not to say I did not appreciate your efforts, but-..."

He trailed off. Presumably thinking he had offended Wolf again. Well, the K- Unit Captain did feel insulted, but the unit member before him was tomato- red enough as it was. Wolf also sympathized the scrawny Horse before him, mainly because Alexei had a sorry body build for a twenty year old, and Wolf thought that was probably the worst thing that could happen to a man.

"You are right," said Wolf in his Captain- tone, thinking that it would at least make the atmosphere more... normal. "This conversation is officially over. From now on, to forever."

"Yes." Besides that, Alexei couldn't think of what else to say.

"Shall we shake on it?" suggested the K- Unit Captain. "Well, just to make it really official. It's how we do things in soldier camp."

Alexei had a hidden wince written all over his face as he grasped the Captain's hand and shook tightly, but extremely shortly, before withdrawing his hand as though scalded.

"That was another bad idea," muttered Alexei, before turning around to leave.

Wolf merely grimaced before stalking into his tent, wrenching open the tent flap with more force than necessary as though it would relieve some of the awkwardness that still hung about in the air. But still he couldn't help the small smile that broke across his features as he stored away the memory in his mind.

Away in the next tent, Alexei groaned aloud and put his head in his hands.

* * *

><p>While Wolf and Alexei were having their very awkward conversation, Snake was visiting Fox at the Hospital Wing- the first time in many days. After days of confinement in the building, needless to say, Fox was already bursting with energy, but the doctors insisted that he stay one more day.<p>

For Snake to visit him was something of a surprise.

"Snake," Fox greeted the other man first. "I haven't seen you for a long time."

Either Snake was a very good actor, or he was really sorry he hadn't dropped by earlier. Snake avoided looking at Fox all the same, and stood beside the edge of the bed. It was after a few quiet seconds before he said rather sheepishly, "I've been really busy."

"Power playing, huh?" Fox suggested.

Snake didn't bother lying to K- Unit's best psychologist. "True," he admitted. "But that's not the reason I came here."

"Then what is it?" Fox suddenly sounded weary.

"If I said I dropped by just to see if you're okay, with no ulterior motives," Snake began, "Would you believe it?"

Fox pondered silently on the question for a while before replying, "Maybe. I would."

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by your hesitation," Snake said, looking out of the window. "Everyone is treating me like this nowadays. Hell, it would be good if they treated me like this. Now they treat me like some kind of scum-"

"I presume by 'they', you're referring to Wolf, then?" Fox said neutrally. Snake's eyes rested on Fox for a while before he averted his gaze to look out of the window.

"Not just him. Everyone," Snake said.

"Including the Sergeant?" Fox's voice was still neutral, but Snake could tell that Fox was skeptical.

Snake gave some sort of grimace before replying, "No. Not including the Sergeant. I just bathes me in useless praises and tells me to wait for my time to shine, whatever that means, and dropping hints about not to forget the important role he played if I ever become a Commander. He has the best attitude towards me, if you count that as nice."

Fox was silent for a long time. Snake even thought the man had fallen asleep, but when he quietly moved to leave, his friend called him back.

"Don't do it, Snake," he said softly. "You don't know what you're throwing away. Surely you understand that friends are more worth it than power."

Snake gave a short bitter laugh. "Friends? True, I would choose friends over power anytime, however much I yearn for the Captain's position. That's why I kept my head low all the time in K- Unit. I never got to shine. But I see the truth for what it is now. I've been wasting my time for the last decade I've been in the SAS soldier service."

"So now you're doubting our friendship?" Fox asked, his voice still quiet, but there was a hint of anger in it.

"There was no friendship to begin with," Snake said softly, his voice certain. "If all of you were truly my friends, you'd have understood me and why I needed to do it. You wouldn't have stood against me and cast me out of K- Unit just because I set fire to our tents under MI6's orders. I've told you a billion times that I didn't want to do it but none of you listened to me. None of you cared. You just pinned all the blame on me. Well, I've had it. Since you're all against me, I'll go out of my way to get what I want. Don't try to pull me back now, Fox, it'll do no good."

"I thought better of you Snake," Fox said. There was no doubt about it now; his voice betrayed his hidden anger. "Surely you could tell whether we've been true to you after spending a decade around us? You say none of us put ourselves in your shoes, but have you done the same for us? How would _you _feel if I set fire to our tents and get rewarded, and don't feel any remorse for doing what I did, but strut around as though I've done right? As for Wolf, he would have calmed down in a few days if you were truly sorry to him. But now everything's totally out of control, because you went along with your power play."

"Exactly," Snake smiled humorlessly. "None of us cared or thought for each other. The evidence clearly suggests that none of you treat me like a friend, and I have done the same. There is no bond or relationship between us. Everything is over. So don't stop me."

"If you didn't see me as a friend, why are you here?" Fox countered. "I thought you said you weren't doing this to power play?"

Snake stopped a bit before leaving. "I just wanted to clear a few things up," he told Fox over his shoulder. "And I did just that."

This time, he left without turning back.

When the door had closed silently behind him, Fox was still staring at the spot where Snake had stood by the edge of his bed seconds ago.

* * *

><p>Back at K- Unit campsite, Alexei, as usual, did not fall asleep immediately.<p>

In all this new development of things around him, Alexei had totally forgotten about the letter Ian Rider had handed to him that day at the forest cavern, from SCORPIA. It was only when he had just reached into his jacket pocket to warm his hands when he found the white envelope. It was slightly damp from where he left his jacket beside Grove's Lake when they went swimming, but otherwise it was perfectly intact.

With a sinking feeling, the teenage spy pried open the envelope. No surprises there- a silver scorpion was printed neatly on the right hand corner of the letter. The entire letter was also printed in black and white Times New Roman font, just like any other boring office document. Feeling slightly apprehensive, Alexei began to read.

The letter wrote:

_If you pass the exam, follow the Sergeant. Rest assured that the trade we had with MI6 meant no harm to befall on you, but to sneak an regarding MI6's trust in you. _

Alexei finished the letter, than promptly crunched it up in his fist. He knew he didn't matter much to SCORPIA, and they were merely controlling him like a pawn for him to get revenge, but all this while he had suspected that SCORPIA hadn't actually trusted him to succeed in the exams, where new field agents would be recruited. And he knew without a doubt in his mind that if he really failed the exams, SCORPIA would have him play to a different tune. In the world of episionage it really didn't matter who you worked for; it was the same concept. Either you are used by others, or you use others. Everyone is treated like a tool, and are discarded without a second thought once its function is lost.

Eagle's assault was supposed to test MI6's trust in him. Had Alan Blunt played into SCORPIA's hands that easily? SCORPIA might be clever, but manipulation was Alan Blunt's field. Alexei wouldn't be surprised if the MI6 Chief had more hidden intentions when he ordered Eagle's assault.

Thinking about SCORPIA made him reflect on his relationship with the K- Unit members all over again. And with a lurch of his heart, he remembered Wolf's smirk; Fox's grin.

Hadn't he just vowed to himself a few days ago to keep his distance? At first, it hadn't be hard; none of the K- Unit members were keen to associate with him, except when they got to their usual round of bullying. But when Fox first sneaked him a breadstick when everyone else devoured his share of food, went to search for Alexei voluntarily, sacrificed himself while he gave Alexei the pill to numb the pain, helped him sneak out of the Hospital Wing... everything had come about naturally. But Alexei could blame himself about his tentative developing, though still pretty rocky relationship with Wolf.

Well, it certainly was his fault for standing up against Snake a few days ago, giving Wolf a reason to be nicer to him. Okay, Wolf being nice was good as far as it went... but this was different. He'd helped Alexei find his way back to the camp yesterday night, and Wolf distracted him from dwelling, lost in his thoughts about Ian Rider. He'd kind of helped Alexei slip into the lake unnoticed this morning, as much as the experience was humiliating. Already Alexei was struggling with his guilt when he imagined his betrayal. But technically he would be betraying MI6, not K- Unit... those were two different things...

The problem was, would Wolf see it that way?

Would Fox understand?

He didn't know. And he was not looking forward to finding out...

* * *

><p>Hundreds of miles away, two men were sitting on a canal in Venice, apparently admiring the view. It wasn't until they had sailed far down the river, out of earshot of anyone who might be around them, when they started talking.<p>

"It is my guess that SCORPIA is banking on the fact that Gerald won't succeed in passing the test," the younger of the pair spoke first. "The plans SCORPIA weave only involves one scenario. Doubtless SCORPIA is planning to use Gerald and MI6 against each other."

"They still don't trust me sufficiently for the job," the second man spoke, his english lilted with Russian. "SCORPIA fears that my allegiance will still lie with the son of John Rider, because of the life debt I have to that man."

Ian quirked a small smile. "You've certainly repaid the debt now. You spared my life, like John made you promise to."

"Technically, the promise was made almost sixteen years ago when we were working on opposite sides, before I spared your life, but I keep my word when I give it," Yassen said, his eyes following the flow of the river. "I would have considered the debt paid, but you, too saved my life months ago."

The younger man looked at Yassen, raising an eyebrow.

"So we are even," Ian said, his tone making it hard to differentiate whether it was a question or a statement.

"It would seem so," murmured Yassen, his eyes still trained on the gushing river.

Ian turned to face the scenery again. "I've considered your suggestion. Atrocious as it is, I feel the need to do so. Only then can SCORPIA's plans be thwarted."

"Suddenly it seems as though both of us are double- agents, against SCORPIA," Yassen said softly, but his voice could have contained a threat. Indeed, danger lurked somewhere in his tone. "You certainly seem to have turned, but you assume me to be the same."

However, Ian was completely relaxed. "Our allegiance may lie with whichever organization providing protection, work and funds, but in this case, I feel that my priority is the same as yours."

"What priority do you have in mind?" the Russian contract killer said neutrally.

"We have the same answer," Ian spoke calmly. "Alex Rider."

There was a pause before the elder man spoke, "You resume the same assumptions SCORPIA has made, that I am indeed loyal to the boy for the sake of his father?" he said. "I thought better of you, Ian Rider."

Ian laughed softly. "Both I and SCORPIA are clever and cunning in our ways, Gregorovich. Do not insult our intelligence by insisting on your lies. In any case, you are still bound to assist me, as you sworn your word on it to John Rider. Alex Rider is considered John's family as sure as I am his brother, don't you think?"

Yassen shrugged and got up. "I will help you get in there, but it might be the last I can do for you. SCORPIA is watching my movements very closely."

A small crafty smile made its way to Ian's lips. "Don't worry. That's the only thing I need from you."

* * *

><p>The next morning dawned with the usual roll colls and gruelling training as usual. Somewhat groggily, Alexei forced himself up earlier than he normally would, mainly because he didn't want to bump into Snake again. It was only when he was already out of his tent when he noticed Wolf's figure in the darkness, walking quickly away into the woods. Now, why hadn't he thought of that? After all, the K- Unit Captain always made a point to start out early wherever he went.<p>

Silently, he followed his Captain some five metres behind through the woods. Wolf didn't seem to take notice of him; the K- Unit Captain seemed lost in his thoughts. But when Alexei stepped on a branch with a particularly loud _Craack, _Wolf immediately stopped short.

Swearing under his breath, Alexei ducked behind a tree, barely daring to breathe. He didn't know why he didn't want Wolf to know he was behind the K- Unit Captain, he just assumed that it would draw more awkward questions.

For a moment, all was silent. Alexei visibly relaxed; Wolf had moved on. It was safe to move at last-

"Aha!" Wolf cried loudly.

His heart lurched so hard in nearly flew out of his ribcage.

"Did you need to scare me like that!" Alexei hissed as soon as he got his breath back. His heart was still beating wildly in his chest. "We're both soldiers, surely you understand that I get jumpy."

Wolf merely smirked at the remark. "You might know by now that I'm not a nice person."

"Point taken," said Alexei darkly.

"By any chance, you weren't stalking me, were you?" Wolf's voice was suddenly accusing. Alexei rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"No, I was not," he said through gritted teeth. "That was the reason I hid behind the tree. I just _knew _you would come to this conclusion."

"Wonder why I would," muttered Wolf. "Well, since it's still early, we can set about discussing."

"There's nothing to discuss," said Alexei at once.

"Afraid that our conversation will stray to 'awkward'?" Wolf smirked. "No worries. As much as your expression was amusing, I found your line disturbing, too."

"I thought we ended that conversation," said Alexei through gritted teeth again.

"Oh, yeah," Wolf said, before clearing his throat. "Well then, let's talk about the swimming exercise. You know, the one we did yesterday. But before that, I must wonder- I know you're scrawny and all that, but you've survived training for two weeks now, at Brecon Beacons. Even I never expected you to thrive that long."

"Thanks for your faith in me," said Alexei sarcastically.

"The point is," Wolf continued, still eyeing Alexei suspiciously, "You've survived our course that long, but I still don't see any... proof. Your body build is very sorry. Lacking, too."

Alexei felt his face heat up again. "This conversation has ended," he said firmly.

"No it has not," contradicted Wolf. "You don't make sense. You ought to have some fine muscles by now! What are you, extraterrestrial?"

"For the love of-! Merlin," Alexei said exasperatedly. "Stop being so bloody interested in my body build! It's alarming and _sodding awkward!"_

Alexei stopped.

He had wanted to say more, but there was something not quite right about his voice-

Wolf was looking completely shocked; stunned into silence. The K- Unit Captain actually stepped backwards a little as he regarded what he thought was a scrawny twenty year old before him.

"Alexei Gerald," Wolf breathed, "Did your voice _just _break?"

**A/N: Thanks so much for reading! Again, please, please do leave me a thought, I need all the inspiration I can gather from your support and encouragement blah di blah. Your thoughts really matter, and count too! **

**Again, you can choose to rate if reviews bother you:**

**'.' for lovely**

**'O' for okay and**

**'X' for terrible.**

**Please drop me a thought, will you?**

**Epsilon Scorpii**


	15. Chapter 15: Two Different Surprises

**¬Last One Standing¬  
><strong>_Chapter Fifteen:  
>Two Different Surprises<br>_

_DISCLAIMER: _I own nothing of Anthony Horrowitz's characters. Here's just an ordinary 14 year old girl wishing she does. Hope you enjoy the story!

_**Wow! Thanks so much, thanks a million billion trillion for all your reviews, encouragement and support! It's a real relief to know that at least some people out there appreciated my writing :D. Chapter Fifteen is dedicated to these special people: **the AwesomeJellyBean, Kalalexshipper4evah, Dani9513, Blissful Winter, fanfictionaddict1, SynchroLover, Writer with Sprite, Meg, Torn Apart Paper Dinosaur, AgentGirl, l, bluelove22, Reilly Scarecrow Rocks, PartyPony2, xlivilightx, ALEXRIDERFOREVER, l, It's A Bonsai Tree, Nicky1992 , Windy Path **and especially **l, **because I certainly couldn't have done without your continuous support! Thank you so much! :D**_

* * *

><p>Alexei stepped a step backwards, his eyes widening in horror, his hand automatically reaching to massage his throat, as though it'd get him back his normal voice.<p>

"What?" he tried to say, feigning a look of complete surprise, thinking hopefully he had misheard. But his voice came out as a deep grating noise.

Oh no.

Gods above!

Of al times...! As if to make matters worse, it had happened in front of _Wolf._

This was bad.

This was very bad...!

He wanted to crawl into a hole. A deep black hole in the sea bed, where no one, not even the MI6 ultra-sound sensors could find. And then die.

The days just got worse and worse.

Why couldn't it have happened in front of somebody else? Even Fox would be better than Wolf. Why! _Why Wolf?_

The K- Unit Captain was looking very grim. His eyes were boring holes in Alexei's forehead, as though trying to pierce his brain. Alexei swallowed and looked up, trying to force on an expressionless mask. But this situation was different. His mask of indifference was something instinctual. It came about naturally when he was in dire situations, when he had to lie to trade his life back. He couldn't quite control his expressionless mask as of yet, not like Ian Rider. And times like now, it wouldn't quite come when he wanted it so badly to.

What had Ian said before? Force yourself to think of nothing. Clear your mind. Then your mask would fall in place...

"Would you care to explain this... turn of events?" Wolf's voice was menacing. Suddenly it seemed as though there was no whatsoever improvement in their relationship; Wolf was once again the malicious K- Unit Captain that bullied Alexei on his first day to Brecon Beacons.

"My voice broke," Alexei replied simply, as though it would clear up all of it. But he still couldn't quite get used to the sudden grating noise he produced when he talked...

Wolf's eyes narrowed. "I know," he said. "That much was obvious. My question is why. Why did your voice suddenly break?"

"I hit puberty," replied Alexei nonchalantly, his face one of innocence. "Now, if you will excuse me-"

He tried edging past Wolf, but the K- Unit Captain yanked his arm backwards roughly, pinning him to the tree behind him.

"How old are you?" grounded out Wolf, his eyes thinned into slits. "_Who _are you?"

"Well, I just hit puberty later than the average guy would," said Alexei uncomfortably, though he sounded more defiant now. "I don't see what the big deal is. Now get off me."

Wolf was looking pretty murderous. "Do you really think I'm such an idiot? No one hits puberty at twenty!"

"Oh really? Just check out Michael whats- his- name, he's a basketball player-..." Alexei was well aware that he was doing nothing to improve Wolf's mood. "Michael Jordan," he said suddenly. "He suddenly hit a growth spurt when he was already twenty."

"His voice broke long before then," pointed out Wolf. "You're not twenty yet. You lied to me."

Alexei didn't like the long, searching look Wolf was giving him. He was now treading on thin ice, and he knew it. He needed to stunt Wolf's curiousity once and for all.

"Look, just stay out of my business," Alexei said, his tone suddenly cold. "I'm not breaking any rules here, so technically you cannot exercise any 'Captain rights' over me. I'll do what I'm supposed to, and I get to stay in this unit for the time being."

Wolf said nothing, but his grip on Alexei tightened by a fraction.

"Let go of me," the teenage spy growled, and was inwardly startled at how threatening his voice sounded. Who knew deep voices could make such a big difference?

Wolf did not do as he was told. "You're only a kid," he said suddenly. "You faked your way in here. Somehow you got past MI6... or maybe it was MI6 who wanted you in here. They made a fake identity for you. They want you to replace that kid... Alex Rider."

Beneath his grip, Alexei stilled. Suddenly, with a surge of strength he didn't know he possessed, Alexei lashed out, his heel catching Wolf's right knee, before pushing the man off him effectively. The blow wasn't meant to wind, merely to distract. Wolf was already on his feet, poised, as though ready for another oncoming attack.

"Ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies," Alexei said, his back facing the K- Unit Captain. "This conversation is over."

Wolf laughed humorlessly. "You can't keep the facade up for long, _Gerald," _he said cuttingly. "You can avoid my questions, but you can't ignore everyone else's. Your change in voice won't go unnoticed, trust me."

Alexei tensed, but ignored the Captain altogether. He could hear J- Unit approaching the clearing where morning roll calls were usually held. If he didn't reach there in time, he'd be late. Not to mention the Sergeant was merciless. But his Captain, Wolf, was still here... he ought to be standing behind the K- Unit Captain during roll call. If he didn't, Snake would take it as a sign that Alexei's allegiance was wavering...

"But why suddenly so sensitive?" Wolf said, his eyes still staring at Alexei closely for a reaction. "Does that name mean anything to you? _Alex Rider?"_

The teenage spy could see the gears turning in Wolf's head, trying to piece the puzzle. Alexei whirled around, looking fierce.

"What's it to you if I knew who Alex Rider was?" he fired, his voice as cold as ice.

Wolf's eyes immediately snapped alert. "How did you know that boy?"

"By the simple fact that I was there when he was killed, watched him struggle and die before me, a year ago, but couldn't do a single thing," Alexei said, his voice of pure venom. "Stop demanding everything from me, _Wolf. _We're in the same unit now, at the very least you could treat me with _respect. _Don't barge into my privacy."

"What, that means... you're the second guinea pig?" blurted Wolf, his face suddenly incredulous and angry at the same time. "You're the second teenage spy MI6's taking on?" He swore out loud and looked Alexei in the face. "Listen kid, you have no idea what you're dealing with. Planning to take Alex Rider's place, are you? Well, let me tell you one thing, Alex Rider was an exceptional boy, I worked with him on the Point Blanc mission- the one you said you read from my file. But still- look at what happened to him."

"What I do with my life is _my _choice," said Alexei, getting increasingly uncomfortable with their conversation. Wolf was only a veil away from the truth... any closer and he'd unravel Alexei's secret. He couldn't let that happen just because his voice broke!

"You're planning on taking the new agent recruit test next month," Wolf said suddenly. "If you pass- MI6 will officially recruit you, so MI6 won't need to sneak everything behind the Prime Minister's back anymore."

"So what if I am? _You _listen, Wolf- this has nothing whatsoever to do with you, so stay out of my business!" there was quiet anger in Alexei's voice now. Wolf looked up and noticed the awkwardness from the boyish face gone, but an eerie expressionless mask in place, making Alexei look older than he actually was.

"Gerald- if that's your real name- I don't think you quite understand," Wolf began in a patronizing tone. "You might get _killed."_

"Like hell I don't know that," returned Alexei with a snort. "So what if I do? It's got nothing to do with you. You don't need to turn up at my funeral if you don't want to."

Wolf looked even more incredulous than before; his eyes were wide, and he too, looked angry for some reason unbeknowest to Alexei. "You will die, Horse! Die, as in no longer live again! Surely you know what that means? How can you just talk about it so casually? Are you dumb or something? Need a dictionary to comprehend the full definition of 'dying'?"

Not for the first time, Alexei snorted. "You clearly think a lot about living. Since you love life so much, why join SAS?"

The K- Unit Captain looked at Alexei disbelievingly, but the teenage spy ploughed on.

"People die everyday, Wolf," he said, his voice slightly softer. "I'm just doing what I can to stop it from happening; to prevent innocents from sharing the same fate as I did."

There was ringing silence. For a while, no one spoke, until Wolf broke it. "I don't believe it," he said at last, "What are you, barely fourteen?- and you're such a bloody patriot."

Alexei shrugged. "I'm telling you the truth."

At least, partially.

The shrill blast from the Sergeant's whistle not far away shook both of them from the spell. Wolf cursed and made to hurry forwards. For a moment, Alexei's heart lifted a bit; he had got over the hard part. But the K- Unit Captain rounded on him and fixed him with narrowed eyes.

"This conversation _isn't _over."

Oh dear.

* * *

><p>The two Units trooped in unision towards Grove Lake, Alexei lagging behind both Snake and Wolf. However, for some unknown reason, the K- Unit Captain seemed annoyed by the fact that Alexei wasn't keeping up. Not for the first time, he stopped and bellowed over his shoulder- extremely loudly.<p>

"Keep up, Horse!"

When this happened the fifth time in a row, Alexei's patience finally snapped.

"I'm nearly trodding on Snake's heels already!" he hissed back irritably. "How much more do you want me to keep up? Until I crash into your back?"

Wolf pursed his lips. "Stand _directly _behind me, Horse."

Alexei's head snapped up. "_What?"_

"You heard," the K- Unit Captain said tersely. "Directly behind me, now."

Briefly, Alexei thought about refusing, but Wolf had that steely glint in his eye. Well, what harm would it do, anyway? Besides, following Wolf's orders might achieve the bonus and annoy Snake...

Already Snake was shooting glances at him, wondering if he would refuse to obey Wolf's commands. Alexei immediately made up his mind.

"Why the sudden need to keep me close in your premises?" muttered Alexei, just loud enough for Wolf to hear, overtaking Snake and standing directly behind his Captain in the process. "Not starting to miss me, I hope?"

"Horse, you are treading close to the line 'awkward' here," warned Wolf in a dangerous voice.

"Oh really," sneered Alexei. "So I'm just supposed to believe you ordered me to stand behind you with no apparent reason and no ulterior motives."

"Yes," said Wolf simply, though Alexei detected a hint of smugness in the man's voice.

"And you just did that conveniently in the full sight and hearing of your current arch- enemy?" Alexei dropped his voice to a low snarl. "I told you before, Wolf- I'm not getting anymore involved in your stupid power play. Leave me out of this."

"Then why are you still here?" countered Wolf, still facing the front.

"Because I didn't want to let you look stupid. Just like you helped me cover yesterday. But this is as far as it goes- I'm not backing your power or whatever you call it- again. Deal?"

Alexei hissed the word a bit louder to convey his point.

Wolf hesitated before muttering, "I suppose that's fair. But I'm the Captain- I set the rules. You seem to be forgetting that very often."

Alexei rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Fine then. What rules do you want now?"

"Tell me the truth," said Wolf suddenly. "From now on, you cannot lie to me. Then you don't ever need to back me up again. Deal?"

The teenage spy was once again, incredulous. "You call that a deal? No way!"

"Why do feel the need to lie to me?" Wolf shot back. "I'm your Captain, Horse. We're a Unit, in this together, in the same sinking boat, blah di blah. Yet you keep hiding something from me, and Fox too. And don't tell me the deal's not fair, because it is. I'm putting by Captain's position here. Quite a lot at stake."

"I don't think," muttered Alexei. "Everyone has secrets. It's not fair that I have to indulge mine in you, even more so when I barely know you at all."

"You've known me for two weeks and three days," pointed out Wolf.

"Only," added Alexei. "I'm not a trusting person, _Captain, _and it'll take you more than two years in fact, to gain my trust. Hell, judging by your slightly violent personality, it'll take you more than twenty years."

Wolf bristled, and was about to lose his temper again before noticing that they had arrived at Grove's Lake. The end of their short trip couldn't have come a better time. Alexei quietly slipped off after Wolf barked at him to mark attendance, before his Captain had anymore to say to him. Alexei had also been careful to mutter loudly a "Yes sir", just in case his sudden change in voice drew questions.

"Okay, in the water everyone!" the Sergeant barked. "Don't forget your double rounds today!"

Alexei muttered a swear word under his breath as Wolf looked over at him. Their eyes met, and the K- Unit Captain smirked; clearly amused. Averting his gaze, Alexei quickly stripped off, and was the third to plunge into the icy water- before anyone else had noticed him. Some of the other soldiers were still taking time to warm- up before they started the swimming exercise.

The teenage spy quickly pulled into his first round, determined not to lag behind and let Wolf get a laugh that day. However, through half of his second round, his Captain had easily caught up with him, grinning maliciously all over his face as he tread water beside Alexei. Cursing, Alexei tried going faster.

For five precious minutes it worked, before Wolf caught up again.

"You don't want to waste energy, going so fast," his Captain warned him again. It didn't help that Wolf kept on sizing up Alexei, even though they were already in the water. "We still have quite a few more rounds to complete."

Alexei rolled his eyes and kept on going. He knew Wolf was right, but he didn't want to go slower- or swim beside Wolf, for that matter. His Captain had a tendency of making him feel uncomfortable.

Through their fourth lap around the lake, Alexei felt his energy giving out. Two men from J- Unit were panting slightly, but that was the worst of it. Alexei felt his muscles screaming in protest as he plunged on determinedly. Since he started this nightmare on Brecon Beacons, his muscles had ached every single day. But Alexei had to admit that his stamina was, at least, improving by leaps and bounds. It might have been something to do with puberty; but SAS training certainly strengthened his body.

That's not to say he was anywhere near keeping up with two units of muscled soldiers.

As usual, Alexei was the last to leave the lake. The second- last had been a man from J- Unit, and he had pulled out of the water some ten minutes ago. Or had it only been five? Alexei had lost track of time.

The Sergeant was clearly having a field day watching Alexei struggle to keep up with the exercise.

"One more lap, Horse," he called out tauntingly. "You better hurry, or you'll spend lunchbreak in the water. Maybe Wolf will throw you a sandwich on a line."

Alexei ignored the man, focusing instead on the remaining laps he had to endure. Ten more strokes, at the most. It seemed such a long way away... his strength was giving out. It took all his will to stay afloat in the water.

But then Wolf was staring at him, arms crossed, his lip twitching. Alexei wasn't sure whether his Captain was annoyed or amused. Well, either way, it irritated Alexei and fuelled his determination to finish his remaining lap.

When he did reach shore, it was already three minutes to lunch break, and J- Unit had long since left. Snake had also slipped away quietly- which was against regulations, as his Captain hadn't dismissed the unit- but Wolf paid the man no attention. Instead, he stayed back and watched Alexei struggle ashore.

"Need some help?"

Alexei heard the familiar voice, but he was too tired to figure it out. A friendly hand was offered, and Alexei found himself dragged tiredly to the bank, his hair hanging damp over his forehead.

He looked up and gasped.

"Wha- Fox?"

Wolf, who had been looking forward to spending some 'alone time' interrogating Alexei, was slightly put out and surprised by his friend's appearance.

"What are you doing here?" Alexei asked, then immediately wished he hadn't. His grating voice sounded rather weird coming from his throat.

Fox didn't say anything, but Alexei was hundred percent sure that the man had noticed. There was a brief glint of amusement in Fox's eyes, but he helped Alexei stand up all the same and tossed him a towel without a word.

"Thanks," muttered Alexei, embarassed to use his voice again.

"What are you doing here?" Wolf repeated Alexei's question, looking just as surprised himself. "I thought you weren't going to be discharged until tomorrow, at the earliest, with no guarantees?"

"Please don't quote the doctor," Fox pretended to moan, "I've had enough of him these days."

"You haven't answered the question," Wolf said impatiently.

Fox grinned. "Well, that's easy. I negotiated with the doctors, passed their tests, and won. I met a few J- Unit members on the way and they told me where you weren't going to be at lunch yet, so I followed their instructions and came to Grove's Lake. Here I am."

Wolf eyed Fox uncertainly. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Fox rolled his eyes. "Course I am. I'm here, aren't I? Let's go for lunch now. You won't believe the thing they serve in the Hospital Wing, I swear their cooking standards deteriorate every day. At least Horse supplied me with some decent food, but yesterday no one- Horse?"

Both Fox and Wolf turned around and noticed the youngest member gone. But he hadn't gone very far- Wolf could still his slightly hunched up, retreating back into the forest. Fox frowned slightly.

"What's wrong?"

"With him?" said Wolf with a snort, before suddenly looking defensive. "In case you're thinking of accusing me, I didn't do anything to him."

Fox smiled a bit at that. "I wasn't going to, but thanks for reassuring."

Wolf spared a second glance at Alexei's figure before saying half- heartedly, "He'll be fine- he's just experiencing the normal teenage mood swings."

Fox's lip twitched slightly. "When did it happen?" he asked.

"When his voice broke? Only just now," replied Wolf, a glint of amusement returning to his eyes. "He was all awkward about it. Had a very amusing expression. You missed the fun, obviously."

"How old do you think he is?" Fox said casually as they walked towards the forest together.

"I don't know, fourteen or fifteen at the most... maybe sixteen? I don't know. Is it normal for voices to break that late?" Wolf sounded pretty curious himself.

Fox shrugged. "Alexei Gerald is pretty abnormal for a teenager."

"Yeah, ending up in SAS soldier camp and all that," remarked Wolf. "I wonder what he thinks he's doing, turning up here of all places. Shouldn't he be at school?"

Fox didn't reply.

"Well, there's only one way to find out... we need to interrogate him," said Wolf decisively.

"_Wolf," _said Fox exasperatedly. "Save your curiousity for later, when you actually go into a mission. Now is not the time. Besides, interrogating him won't get you anywhere."

"Investigating him?" suggested Wolf.

"No," said Fox firmly. "It's his privacy, Wolf. We shouldn't intrude like that. If he tells us, we'll keep his secret; if not, we let him be. Why are you so curious about him anyway?"

Wolf made a face. "I was hoping you'd cooperate. You're his best buddy here, surely you'd stand more a chance to wheedle information out of-"

"I repeat my answer: N-O. In capitals," Fox's decision was final. "And you're avoiding the psychologist's question."

"Bloody psychologist," muttered Wolf. "Can't you go dissect Horse instead of me?"

"You're more fun," grinned Fox. "Besides, Horse's mind is a bit too challenging for me to dissect as of yet."

Wolf pursed his lips before glancing around. "You know, I've been thinking," he started suddenly, in a low voice. "Horse... he looks quite familiar. I don't know why. I think he's being undercover... maybe he's already eighteen or something, but he pretended to just break his voice to get us off his trail..."

Fox pretended to wince and looked at Wolf. "Are you aware that the evidence so far suggests that you need to see a shrink?"

Wolf looked positively annoyed. "I was just guessing," the K- Unit Captain said through gritted teeth. "Bouncing ideas about. You're supposed to be the detective, though..."

"Then leave it to the detective. Come now, Wolf- let's get some lunch before they take our share. I've been pining for normal food since yesterday."

Fox steered the K- Unit Captain through the clearing and disappeared into the distance. Behind a tree, Alexei slipped out, feeling relieved, grateful and extremely guilty at the same time. He had not visited Fox in the Hospital Wing since yesterday, not because he had forgotten, but because he had promised himself to keep his distance. But he couldn't possibly manage ignoring Fox, not when the latter was so... friendly? Understanding? Caring?

Not for the first and last time, Alexei felt like a complete mess. Dragging his tired body through the woods, Alexei trudged towards K- Unit campsite, his mind still dancing in a whirl of emotions.

* * *

><p>Unbeknowest to Alexei, the next day had more unpleasant surprises in store for Alexei.<p>

Fox and Snake were on reasonably good terms... well, not exactly. Formal, polite and stiff were more accurate adjectives. Snake had a guarded look when he regarded the man, but otherwise ignored Fox altogether, aside from the occassional gruff 'Morning' and 'Night'. Wolf and Snake sneered and smirked at each other whenever their eyes met. Alexei simply ignored everybody.

His heart quailed whenever he forced himself to walk away from a conversation Fox clearly was trying to strike, or give the man a cold shoulder, but he couldn't really help it. It was the only way. It was for everyone's own good.

It hadn't helped Alexei was to share a tent with Fox. Of course, Alexei didn't mind, but for the first time in his life, he felt strangely uncomfortable and awkward with the only friend he ever had in K- Unit. They had two more tents left; and Wolf always had his own because he was Captain. It was completely unfair (and barbaric, as Wolf put it) to make Fox share a tent with Snake.

But as Alexei sank tiredly onto the ground, Fox said nothing except a simple 'goodnight'. Alexei had his back turned to Fox, so he didn't see the man's expression.

Seconds ticked by in silence, before Alexei felt safe to look up again. Fox was propped at the other end of the tent, his face visibly taut with pain, though he tried very much to hide it. It seemed as though his injuries hadn't recovered fully.

Suddenly, Alexei felt horrible; even worse than when he had accused Wolf of power playing when the Captain was only trying to help.

Fox's eyes met his, for a brief moment, before the other man quickly looked away, as though trying to avoid making Alexei uncomfortable or awkward as much as possible. Alexei noticed that Fox had also positioned himself in the farthest corner from Alexei. Fox's eyes were uncertain when they met his. As though afraid to provoke him... or something like that.

He went extra miles just to make Alexei... comfortable? What had Alexei done for him? Why was Fox like that? Were all psychologists that out of their minds?

Fox cleared his throat a bit then lay down to rest, his back facing Alexei. Never even asked why Alexei was treating him like that. Never even questioned him.

Alexei felt hurt, anger and annoyance flare in him, so intense the emotion he felt like smashing something.

_Why the hell are you so nice? _Alexei wanted to yell at the other. _You're not supposed to treat me like that. You're supposed to bully me. Fuel my determination when I pursue revenge. Not give me times to reflect upon before I raise my blade. What are you playing at?_

He couldn't help it. His heart clenched painfully as Fox's hand flew to the back of his neck, which Alexei noted, was still bandaged.

"Are you alright?" Alexei whispered softly, into the darkness.

So much for his plan.

Fox turned around a bit, half a trademark grin on his pale face. "Yeah. Thanks for asking."

Even though it didn't make much of a difference, Alexei still felt better after asking. Fox's grin was strangely reassuring...

"Morning, Horse," said a dry voice to his right.

Alexei snapped out of his reverie, before recogonizing his Captain standing before him.

"Morning sir," Alexei said stiffly, still trying to get used to his voice. Since Fox was back, Alexei wasn't needed to stand up for Wolf anymore. It would mean the end to whatever form of unspoken truce they ever had over the last few days.

Wolf merely said nothing; but his eyes darkened and narrowed as he looked over Alexei's shoulder. Alexei just knew who would be standing there- Snake.

Sighing, Alexei quickly made his way into the forest alone, preparing for morning roll call. He passed tree by tree, his feelings and emotions all a jumble in his head. Ian Rider, Wolf, Fox, Jack, Tom... god, he really messed up all the relationships he had with everyone around him. Everyone got hurt because of him.

"You are late," said a clear, crisp voice.

Alexei's head snapped up, instantly alert. To his surprise, a figure in white sports jersey was already standing before him, in the clearing. The classic Sergeant attire.

"I'm not," Alexei said defiantly, looking the unknown man up and down. "Who are you, anyway?"

"Manners, Horse," the man said, with a smirk. "From now on, I'll be your new Sergeant, and you are to refer to me as 'sir'. Any questions?"

The new Sergeant swiped off his cap as he did so, exposing the dark hair and emerald eyes. Darren Wynter.

Ian Rider in disguise.

Alexei took a step backwards in horror.

"_You?" _he spluttered.

**A/N: Thanks so much for reading! Please review or rate, it means a lot to me! I've managed to write this chapter thanks to the inspiration all your reviews gave me. And I need to know what you think about this...**

**Rating system available**

**'.' for lovely**

**'O' for okay and**

**'X' for terrible.**

**Please rate/ review! **

**Cheers,  
>Epsilon Scorpii<strong>


	16. Chapter 16: Lessons From A Fight

**¬Last One Standing¬  
><strong>_Chapter Sixteen:  
>Lessons from A Fight<br>_

_DISCLAIMER: _I own nothing of Anthony Horrowitz's characters. Here's just an ordinary 14 year old girl wishing she does. Hope you enjoy the story!

_**You reviewed, you actually reviewed! :D Thank you soo much, every single word or rating you gave meant, truly, a lot to me. I've reread your reviews 3 times! :D I shall now reward all my faithful reviewers in the last chapter by dedicating Chapter Sixteen to them, particularly to**__ Kalalexshipper4evah, and l, **for your great encouragement:** Meg, , Nicky1992, Dani9513, Blissful Winter, fanfictionaddict1, KusajishiFukutaicho, IFoundAPickle, SynchroLover, PartyPony2, xlivilightx, ReillyScarecrowRocks, Albany, Writer with Sprite, Nocte Illunis, JennaMastero, ANON, Jellie Smith, , d, Bookdancer, wolfern, The Daughter of Artemis, krystalanimeheart, ALEXRIDERFOREVER and It's a Bonsai Tree **you certainly boosted my confidence and inspiration by a million, billion, trillion- thank you! :D**_

* * *

><p>The new Sergeant, Darren Wynter, merely smirked back at Alexei.<p>

"You seem to have a problem regarding my appointed status," Wynter said.

"And I don't feel obliged to share it, so don't ask," the teenage spy growled back,... before remembering a second too late to keep his voice in a low mutter so the change would go unnoticed. Oh no.

Wynter's smirk widened by a fraction. "I'm sure you will overcome these _new changes_ soon," the man said, "Meanwhile, I expect no less than full respect and cooperation from you. Understood?"

Alexei stiffened, recogonizing the double jibe behind Ian- _Darren Wynter's _remark. Was Wynter joking? Had he really became the Sergeant? What about the old yelling one? What was Ian trying to achieve by doing this? Wavering his decision?

Narrowing his eyes at his uncle, Alexei pursed his lips, his mind running furiously through possible scenarios. It would certainly give him satisfaction to disobey Ian Rider for once, but again it would achieve nothing... perhaps even give Ian an excuse to make his life even more miserable than before. Making his decision in the spur of a moment, Alexei scowled and bit out an angry "Yes, sir."

The smile on Sergeant Wynter's face was insufferable. Alexei clenched his fists tightly by his side.

Who knew Ian Rider could be more annoying than Wolf.

"Excellent," Sergeant Wynter said.

All of the Units had arrived by now; K- Unit was the last to assemble, mainly because Snake was frantically searching the area in hopes of finding the familiar face of the Sergeant. Alexei smirked. Well, that was one good thing that came out of the new appointment.

The shrill blast of the whistle jerked everyone to full attention. Sergeant Wynter lowered his cap once more, and his emerald green eyes scruntized the soldiers before him with quiet intensity. Silence fell across the clearing; only the distant forest noises reached their ears. Alexei silently wondered irritably for the upteenth time how Ian Rider did it.

"From today onwards," Wynter said in a low, commanding tone that infrutiated Alexei no end, "I am appointed as your new Sergeant. Therefore, I expect no less than all of your full respect and cooperation, is that understood?"

_Ask no questions but obey orders. However dumb or suspicious they are. The Soldier Rule._

Alexei inwardly snorted before muttering along with the loud chorus of "Sir yes sir!"

"Good," Wynter said with a small proud smile. "Again, from today onwards, I shall establish a few new rules."

Alexei expected a ripple of complaints through the crowd, and wondered how Ian would react to a rebellion, but his hopes were sadly dashed. Everyone was listening with rapt attention... even Wolf seemed to be standing a little straighter than before. Or was it merely his imagination?

"Firstly, I expect everyone to be assembled here by five forty five every morning."

Brilliant.

Why was nobody complaining yet?

"Secondly," Wynter continued, "From now on, you will all undergo intensive martial arts training, including hand- to- hand combat, defense, shooting and most importantly improvisation in the field. I shall no longer focus on your fitness training, unlike your previous Sergeant."

"Excuse my interruption sir, but why?"

Alexei whirled around and noticed, with a flare of annoyance, that it was Snake who had spoken. Was he genuinely interested, or was he trying to gain Ian's favor? Well, good luck with him trying.

Wynter smiled mirthlessly. "Because, gentlemen, we are about to go into war."

_Excuse me?_

Silence was met at Wynter's words.

Even Alexei's mind was whirling with the possibility. War? What war? There was none, as far as he had heard. Was Ian trying to mess with their brains? Well, that wouldn't be the first.

"I shall leave the details for next time," continued Wynter, and Alexei noticed that the new Sergeant had started pacing. "But the preparations must be done fully to our utmost best, to fight for what we believe in when the time comes for us to enter the field."

After being submerged in Ian Rider's manipulation, charisma and his commanding- air for almost fourteen years of his life, Alexei was no longer intrigued by this speech. All he could think of was '_Now that was__ melodramatic. There should be some music in the background'. _But a look around him dashed his hopes once again; everyone was watching Wynter with something akin to fascination and respect.

"I believe strongly in the art of improvisation in the field," continued Wynter. "Because, as those who are experienced may know, plans can only go so far. In the perfect world, everything may go accordingly. But in this harsh reality, the chances are slim. That, I trust, is the sole weakness of our soldiers."

_Perhaps the Chronicles of Narnia soundtrack 'The Battle' would fit in the scene perfectly._

"What if something happens out of the blue? Something unexpected? What if there was a flaw in the plan? If there was a leak? If your comrade went down? Then it all comes down to you," Wynter spoke, his tone still quiet, but Alexei detected, with a shiver across his spine- something fiercer. "You need to improvise. Follow your instincts. And always remember, never hesitate, and never let emotions get the better of you, or you will certainly die."

Alexei realized he had been holding his breath. Across the many soldiers, his eyes met Wynter's brilliant emerald gaze, before Alexei broke the contact.

Never let emotions get the better of you? What was Wynter trying to hint at that? Alexei felt another surge of anger, before hurriedly allowing a cool expressionless mask to slide neatly over his features; something he was slowly getting better at.

"Today, we will start with martial arts," Sergeant Wynter said, his eyes scanning the soldiers before him. "You are all known to be the best among the others. Prove it to me."

A chorus of "Yes, sirs!", louder and fiercer than before.

Wynter smiled, slowly, and Alexei thought he recogonized a glimmer of pride in his uncle's eyes before Wynter turned to face the crowd again.

"Excellent. Now, that aside, our training will begin. Follow me."

With a jerk of his head, Wynter went first, into the woods, his emerald eyes darting back and forth as he did so. Silently, Alexei followed behind Wolf, who had a rather determined look on his face.

"He's sure got style, doesn't he?" Alexei heard an L- Unit member mutter to his companion.

Alexei managed a hide a snort.

"You've got no idea," he muttered under his breath.

* * *

><p>Sergeant Wynter had prolonged their warm- up run from 800 metres to one kilometre, something Alexei cursed his uncle dearly for. His entire body was still aching from yesterday's long swim at Grove's Lake, and the warm- up run was the only thing he took pride in himself during training, because usually he wasn't the last. Somebody by the code name of Cheetah was. Alexei appreciated the irony of it.<p>

After that, they had moved on to a completely different area of the forest. It was only after eight minutes of brisk walking when they saw a building rise up from the forest- namely the training facility. It was Alexei's first time there.

Even Wolf had not been to the building for more than fifteen times in his twenty years' career in SAS. Apparently the previous Sergeant feared that the other soldiers might take him down in a fight, so he avoided training them in combat as much as possible. Well, at least that was Wolf's opinion. The rumor had quickly spread, though.

The building was completely white, and consisted of many glass and steel windows. Overall, it gave the facility a pretty modern look. The interior was not furnished at all, except for a stack of thin mattresses piled up neatly in a corner.

Wolf was already buzzing with enthusiasm. "I can't wait to take down somebody," he told Fox, though his eye was on Snake. "I've been itching for a fight since last week."

Apparently Sergeant Grovers (their old Sergeant) was now in charge of E- Unit and J- Unit, so the the other two: K and L- Unit were under Sergeant Wynter. As there were eleven of them, after dividing both units into pairs, there was one member leftover- Alexei. Alexei was certain it was no conincidence. Sergeant Wynter signalled for Alexei to follow him.

The first pair were to fight each other in a hand- to- hand combat within the radius of the drawn red circle in the middle of the floor. Sergeant Wynter would be watching to declare the winner. Alexei, on the other hand, did not know what to do except hover beside the Sergeant, feeling idiotic.

Alexei raised his eyes to see who were the first to go up. With a lurch, he saw Wolf and the Captain of J- Unit, Tiger, step into the ring.

Wolf was already cracking his knuckles loudly. The rest of the J- Unit, which unfairly consisted of seven soldiers, were all cheering on their Captain.

"This should be something to watch," commented Sergeant Wynter.

"This is barbaric," Alexei corrected, feeling slightly sick. There were no restrictions in this fight; not that the Sergeant had mentioned. In fact, Sergeant Wynter hadn't even mentioned 'don't kill each other' or 'try not to snap your opponent's neck'. _Nothing. _If an accident happened in the fight, they could die.

At the present moment, Wolf didn't look as though he were afraid to die at all. It certainly contrasted with his previous speech. In fact, the K- Unit Captain had a manical grin on his face.

Tiger was taller than Wolf by approximately three inches, and he certainly looked muscly enough. Both men were allowed three minutes' of warm up before plunging into the fight. During these few moments, the atmosphere was horribly tense; the somewhat forgotten rivalry between K- Unit and L- Unit was suddenly in full fledge.

"Watch them carefully when they fight, Horse," the Sergeant murmured to him, though the emerald gaze rested on the two Captains before him.

"Why?" shot Alexei irritably, before adding a grudging, "Sir."

He didn't want to give Ian the excuse of aggravating his training.

Sergeant Wynter quirked a small smile at that. "Because you can learn," he replied simply. "And trust me, you'll need everything you have learnt to fight me later."

Alexei felt as though he were eletrocuted. "_What?" _he hissed, horror building in him.

"Quiet," Sergeant ordered, though his tone was mild. "The match is about to begin."

Alexei watched Darren Wynter in disbelief. "But surely, someone as... _talented _and- _fit _as yourself, should take on a worthier opponent so that the match will be more meaningf-"

"Surely you know how I feel about flattery?" Sergeant Wynter sounded annoyed now. "Quiet, Horse."

The teenage spy felt himself bristle with annoyance. It was official. He _hated _Ian Rider!

"On the count of three," the Sergeant called out loudly, over the jeers and taunts between both Units. Alexei suddenly felt the absence of Eagle keenly; K- Unit seemed rather feeble compared to J- Unit without its usual number of supporters. In fact, Fox was the only one cheering for K- Unit. Snake was standing somewhere in the shadows, though his eyes were fixed on the ring before him.

"Three!"

Alexei made to move towards Fox, but the Sergeant caught his wrist in a vice- like grip.

"Two!"

Alexei made to wrench his hand free, but was yanked backwards forcefully.

"One! _En garde... _Go!"

Alexei stumbled and nearly lost his balance. He glared at the Sergeant with as much contempt as he could muster, before the Sergeant's fingers curled around his neck and forced him to look in front. Alexei felt like punching Ian Rider; the teenage spy was now struggling with his expressionless mask once again. But a look at the fight going on between Wolf and Tiger drove all thoughts from his mind.

The pair circled each other for a full minute, making false jibes and moves. Wolf's glare was intense, but Tiger looked just as calm and collected.

Alexei watched with bated breath, waiting for one of them to make the first move. Both soldiers seemed calm and collected; neither looked as though they were going to draw the first blood. Then Wolf said something, a low murmur, and the muscles in Tiger's jaw tightened.

The crowd jeered.

Wolf threw his head back.

Closed his eyes.

And laughed.

Alexei felt a trill of panic run through him. He knew the K- Unit Captain was always an arrogant jerk, but surely now was not the time to be-

A shout rang through the crowd, Fox's voice, cheering, "K- Unit!"

What happened next happened very fast. As Wolf was laughing arrogantly with closed eyes, his stance slightly neglected, Tiger made his move, lashing out with a lethal back- kick. There was a collective gasp as the audience waited with bated breath for the K- Unit Captain to fall- but Wolf had swerved out of the way in the last second, narrowly avoiding being hit.

With a growl to match his name, Tiger quickly regained balance and tried to strike with a following double blow using both his elbows, but Wolf was ready for it. As Tiger advanced into the middle of the ring, fists raised, the K- Unit Captain ducked very low, and Tiger's fists only met air.

Then Wolf did something completely out of the blue.

Tiger's legs were positioned far apart; he was resting all power and force on his back, positioning his centre of gravity to the maximum lowest level- the classic fighting stance. When his blow missed Wolf, the K- Unit Captain slid directly between Tiger's legs and reappeared behind the L- Unit Captain, delivering a severe blow to Tiger's groin in the process.

The crowd cheered loudly, and Wolf quickly followed with a twist- kick, followed with a double- punch... which happened to be one of Alexei's favorite moves.

"See what can go wrong," muttered Sergeant Wynter to Alexei, already anticipating what was going to happen.

Tiger recovered impossibly fast; he seemed to have simply pushed the pain away to a corner of his mind, and focused on attacking Wolf again. The twist- kick was very powerful if delivered perfectly, and was designed more for the purpose of a surprise attack. However, the down side was while performing the twist kick, the user would not be in perfect balance. And if the user's move had somehow been expected, the end would be pretty fatal.

In one fluid action, Tiger had whirled around, caught Wolf's ankle and twisted the K- Unit Captain's leg viciously, before flinging Wolf over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Then he used Wolf's weight against himself, before throwing Wolf head- over- toes to the ground.

"_Judo," _muttered Sergeant Wynter to Alexei.

The sickening thud when Wolf landed on the floor drew cries from both Units.

"Wolf!" this was Fox's voice.

"Tiger! Tiger! TIGER!" bellowed L- Unit, drowning out the sole supporter of K- Unit. The rivalry was getting strong.

Alexei felt a sudden rush of loyalty towards his own Unit.

"K- Unit!" he shouted, joining in the crowd. It reminded him of the time he was cheering for the international players at Wimbledon, when he was a ball- boy. "K- UNIT!"

Fox met his eyes over the crowd of soldiers, and Alexei felt himself returning the grin.

Wolf had stopped rolling, but he still remained on the floor, face- down, twitching in agony. Blood was dripping down onto the ground, presumably from Wolf's forehead. Tiger was now advancing with a calculated blow... a side- kick to the neck? The palm- heel strike for the skull?

Wolf could end up _dead _if these blows actually hit its target. Alexei turned on the Sergeant, feeling a stir of panic inside him.

"This is too much," he said in a low voice to Sergeant Wynter. "It's getting out of hand."

But Darren Wynter merely shook his head. "Not yet."

"What?" Alexei snapped angrily. "Are you actually planning to wipe ou-"

"_Watch and learn," _Sergeant Wynter hissed, forcing his head to the front again.

Wolf had been pretending. He was merely feigning weakness, lying still on the ground, waiting for Tiger to reach him. Once the man did, Wolf hooked his leg behind Tiger's knee and lashed out with his left leg, causing Tiger to topple forwards onto him. At the last second, Wolf moved out of the way and jammed a lethal strike to the back of Tiger's neck.

However, Tiger was already moving. The L- Unit Captain swerved around with lightning speed, trying to deliver a palm heel strike, but missed. Wolf ducked to Tiger's right, then chopped down with his other hand, his actions a blur.

"Between the shoulder blades," muttered Sergeant Wynter, a small smile on his face.

Tiger made to move his left arm, but it seemed suddenly unresponsive, so he lashed out with his right instead. But it was too late- Wolf had already ducked out of the way.

The K- Unit Captain landed behind Tiger- then suddenly, Tiger's left arm recovered and his hand curled around an unsuspecting Wolf's wrist.

There was a sickening loud crack.

Alexei gasped in silent horror. There was another loud cry of "_Tiger!" a_nd "Wolf!"- the shock that it was Snake that had shouted the K- Unit Captain's code name didn't even register-

Then Wolf delivered a lethal and powerful chopping motion to the back of Tiger's neck. Tiger's eyes bulged, then he keeled forwards, into unconsciousness.

A loud cheer errupted through the crowd, and Sergeant Wynter's face broke into a smile as he started to clap, too. Alexei didn't know whether to feel relieved or angry.

"So only then can a winner be judged?" the teenage spy said, his voice sounded constricted. "When the other is either unconscious, or dead? I thought better of you, Sergeant Wynter. This is training. Not a killing or unit rivalry exercise."

His blazing eyes met calm emerald ones.

"Not necessarily," Sergeant Wynter replied with a shrug. "But in this fight, it seemed as though it was inevitable. Do not doubt, however, that I will intervene when things _do _get out of hand."

Alexei thinned his lips, choosing not to reply. His gaze landed on Wolf.

Though the winner, the K- Unit Captain seemed to be faring worse. Already Tiger was stirring slightly, as the L- Unit members hauled their Captain out of the red circle.

Wolf's wrist was a horrible sight; a mess of bones, skin and blood. It looked like his bone had punctured through Wolf's very skin. The K- Unit Captain's face was contorted with pain as Fox helped him out, but he managed a flicker of surprise when Snake, too, appeared by his side.

Snake looked as though he was going through some internal battle; his fingers fidgeted a bit.

In the background, there was still a loud cry of "Tiger!", but Alexei paid L- Unit no heed. He cast the Sergeant a sideway glance, hoping the Sergeant wouldn't notice him, or discover what he was thinking of doing-

Sergeant Wynter met Alexei's gaze coolly, before he gave an imperceptible nod.

Alexei's eyes widened briefly with surprise, before he quickly left the Sergeant and darted into the circle, by Wolf's side.

"How is he?" he began, talking to Fox, who looked rather pale as well.

"Needs medical attention immediately," muttered Snake instead. "His wristbone punctured through his skin. Takes a month at least to heal completely."

Three pairs of eyes snapped to Snake as the so- called traitor of K- Unit tore of a strip of his own uniform and made a quick make- shift bandage over Wolf's injured wrist. Wolf looked so surprised he barely winced at the pain.

The _whaack _that sounded when Snake ripped off his uniform was resounding to their ears.

Snake did not meet any of their gaze. Rather, he knelt down beside his Captain and wrapped the material gently over Wolf's wrist, taking care of pressing a few pressure points and making sure the bone was in place.

When he finished, he stood up and let his arms fall back to his side, clearing his throat as he did so.

And the K- Unit Captain was still staring.

For a moment, there seemed to be silence as the four K- Unit members looked at each other, unsure of what to say or do, for that matter. The calls and jeers of L- Unit faded into the background. All four of them had identical looks on their faces; uncertainity. Then their Captain spoke quietly, with a small grin on his tired face, "Thanks, K- Unit."

Fox returned the smile widely. "Anytime, Captain."

For the first time in his life, Alexei felt a strong surge of affection towards his Unit. What triggered it? He didn't know. Perhaps it was the fact that they had managed to regroup together, despite how K- Unit had been torn apart? Perhaps it was the fight between K- Unit and L- Unit that triggered it. Perhaps it was because although their unit members didn't like each other much, they knew only the four of them were dependable, as they were from the same legendary K- Unit.

But at the same time, he could feel his heart was falling, not indiscernably. All he knew was that when the time came, Alex Rider could no longer enjoy the revenge he had been planning for months. Not anymore.

"Horse? Horse, are you alright? You look a bit pale," Fox waved his hand in front of Alexei.

Alexei snapped out of his daze, then noticed that Wolf had gone. Only a trail of blood was smeared on the floor where his Captain once was.

"Where's Wolf?" Alexei asked, his eyes darting around, before landing on Fox questioningly.

Fox fixed him with a weird look. "He left with Snake a minute ago."

Alexei blinked. "Oh."

It was all he could think of saying.

Had he really been day- dreaming that long? It only seemed a couple of seconds ago!

Tiger had also been helped out of the training grounds by one of the L- Unit members. When Alexei finally looked around, four people were missing from the original crowd.

For the third time that day, Sergeant Wynter blew his shrill whistle, causing Alexei to jerk more violently out of his stupor. Together, he and Fox made their way to the assembled soldiers; they were the only two left of K- Unit.

"You have witnessed the fight between both of your Captains today," Sergeant Wynter began, his voice carrying easily to the listeners. "What I want to know, is that have you learnt anything from their battle? The main point of today's activities, for the rest of you, is to watch, remember, and apply." Wynter's gaze met Alexei's. "Any lessons learnt, anyone? Horse?"

"Yes sir," said Alexei, his voice louder than he expected it to be. "It is unwise to use violence when solving problems. That's a quote from the Bramlee Bears."

A ripple went through the crowd.

Sergeant Wynter raised an eyebrow. "Care to elaborate?" he asked casually, his lips pulled into half- a smirk.

"You mean what exactly are Bramlee Bears?" said Alexei brazenly. "Well, it's a moral story, actually, sir. I thought it might be an essential lesson for us to learn. Particularly after witnessing that fight."

Alexei didn't quite know why he was saying all this; he just wanted to shatter Ian Rider's unshakable cool for once. And deep inside, he still blazed with indignance at Sergeant Wynter's training method.

Wynter met his gaze once again. A brief pause, before the Sergeant spoke, "Horse is right."

Not for the first time, Alexei's incredulous gaze snapped towards Wynter.

_What did he just say?_

"Horse is right," repeated the Sergeant, smiling slightly as he regarded the crowd before him. "It is foolish to use violence when solving problems."

Alexei's eyes narrowed. What game was Wynter trying to play at now?

"It is more essential to use _wit, _to defeat the opponent."

Alexei scowled. Typical Ian Rider. Twisting moral stories to suit his own will.

Wynter had started pacing again. "We can learn much from the fight we witnessed today," he continued, ignoring Alexei's glare completely. "Firstly, Wolf's unorthordox method of making the first strike against Tiger shows his skill at improvisation."

"Oh yeah," said Fox under his breath, giving Alexei thumbs- up in full view of the rest of the L- Unit members, who scowled.

"Secondly, speed," Wynter said, stopping in front of Cheetah as he did so. "Speed, however, is not something that you can learn, but something you obtain from practise. Of course, there are still minor details you should observe and apply, like swiftness. For example, never use the entire foot when trying to move fast. When turning around, apply force to only your heels. While striking forwards, use only your toes. But the basics must be obtained from constant training for you to achieve exemplary results."

Cheetah's face reddened a bit at this, and Alexei again took pleasure that he at least beat the man at running, although it was only warm- up exercise.

"Thirdly, cunning," Wynter said, walking past Cheetah and coming to stand in the middle of the assembled soldiers. "That is the main reason of Wolf's victory today. While pretending to be unconscious, he lashed out when Tiger approached for the final blow, catching the opponent by surprise."

"Fourthly, the crucial point of watching and waiting." Here, Wynter's gaze rested severely on Alexei. The teenage spy could practically hear Ian's exasperated voice in his ear, from all those years ago, "_Patience, Alex. Watch and wait._"

"The timing of every single move must be precise. That is imperative for us to achieve our goals. Tiger waited for Wolf's guard to be down, waited for the first blow, before delivering his strike. Wolf waited for Tiger to close in on him, before lashing out. If Wolf had refused to wait for a few seconds longer, the results today, doubtless, would have been different."

"Fifth, another crucial point behind Wolf's victory- nerve jabs," Wynter continued speaking, his eyes leaving Alexei. "By observing his strikes, I believe that Wolf has not completed his course, training, or learning, the moves properly. He shot out clumsily, his blow landing in the vague position of the pressure points, in faint hope that it will do the trick. The back of the neck, the blow between the shoulder blades which numbs the arm, the strike between the knee joints, foot soles... all these moves were designed to save energy while confronting the opponent. The basic and main elements in the art of nerve jabs only revolve around two aspects- speed and precision. Wolf's demonstration of the nerve jabs were not satisfactory, but effective enough to defeat Tiger, nevertheless."

"Lesson Six, _judo. _Another useful trait that Tiger learnt. He used Wolf's force and momentum against the K- Unit Captain himself, earning Tiger advantage and Wolf the latter.

"Lesson Seven, another important point- focus. Do not let pain influence your movements, or take over your mind. You have witnessed both of your Captains' extraordinary recover from each others blows, though the strikes were rather fatal. Their focus and mind control never wavered despite the circumstances. That is what the makes them good fighters, and I applaud them for that."

Wynter stopped and surveyed the crowd before him. "In a way, all of these factors must be connected to obtain victory. Wolf used improvisation to strike against Tiger and score the first blow. By doing so, he used his cunning. He pretended to drop his guard while jeering at Tiger. Then he watched and waited for the perfect moment to strike. When the perfect opportunity came, he ducked Tiger's fist and rolled to the back of Tiger with extreme speed, so he avoided being hit."

Seven lessons. Out of one brutal and violent fight. Worth it?

Alexei didn't think so.

"This week we shall witness the fights between both of your Units. Next week you will learn the moves. After that, I shall make sure that all of you will have learnt to apply them in your future combats. Understood?"

"Sir yes sir!" came the loud chorus.

Alexei mentally scowled.

If he had been hoping for a rebellion against Sergeant Wynter, particularly after the fight, it looked as though there would be a long way before it would actually happen, providing the rebellion ever would occur.

**A/N: Sorry for the extra long wait, and I was away last week. Thank you so much to all who reviewed in the last chapter, and all the inspiration you gave me. Hope you liked this chapter!**

**Please do rate or review; give me an insight to what you think of Chapter 16:**

**'.' for lovely**

**'O' for Okay**

**'X' for terrible...**

**...A reviewer asked me what symbol would 'awesome' take form, and I thought perhaps :D would be appropriate? *grins...**

**and**

**:D for awesome!**

**Cheers,  
>Epsilon Scorpii<strong>


	17. Chapter 17: Awakening

**¬Last One Standing¬****  
><strong>_Chapter Seventeen:  
>Awakening<em>_  
><em>

_DISCLAIMER: _I own nothing of Anthony Horrowitz's characters. Here's just an ordinary 14 year old girl wishing she does. Hope you enjoy the story!

_**Chapter Seventeen is dedicated to these wonderful people: **KusajishiFukutaicho, Kalalexshipper4evah, Dani9513, Blissful Winter, SynchroLover, Meg, Torn Apart Paper Dinosaur, bluelove22, xlivilightx, ALEXRIDERFOREVER, l, It's A Bonsai Tree, Nicky1992, I Found A Pickle, The Daughter of Artemis, Jellie Smith ,Aestiva, xDarkLightx, MonkeyDeranged, Loves WritingJ and m **because I certainly couldn't have done without you.**_

* * *

><p>Alexei strode through the forest briskly, his fists clenched tightly by his sides. He hadn't been paying much attention throughout their lessons, no matter how much the Sergeant had jerked him none too pleasantly out of the teenage spy's stupor. He just couldn't bring himself to focus.<p>

"Horse- hey, Horse! Where are you going?"

Fox caught up with the teen within a minute, covering ground with remarkable agility, though he was merely considered an average in the SAS soldier team. Everyone here had high standards.

"Lunch," replied Alexei, though the way he hissed the word with venom made the answer seem rather unconvincing.

The K- Unit psychologist raised an eyebrow. "Really."

Alexei ignored the man completely, continuing his quick stride past the dense trees packed together. Bushes, wild flowers and the call of birds were disregarded completely, and Alexei tramped through the lush greenery like some kind of miniature troll, destroying almost everything that stood in his path. White petals were trampled over; rocks were kicked brutally out of the way; bushes were torn violently to clear himself a way through.

It wasn't until when he'd reached Grove's Lake when he stopped, breathing somewhat heavily, before he slid down by the bank, allowing his legs to dangle slightly over the edge, enjoying the cool breeze caressing his cheeks.

He didn't really know why he was that mad. He should have known better. This was Ian Rider, after all. And despite having lived with Ian for the past fourteen years, Alexei discovered sadly, that he had known next to nothing about his uncle at all. Everything was a lie. And like the best lies, they were all spun out of truths, leaving Alexei whirling in his memories, confused and what was true and what was not.

Had it all been an act? The times when his uncle smiled and urged him on, up a rocky cliff? The times when he petted him on the shoulder as Alexei wore his new black belt proudly? The times when he pulled Alexei out of the swimming pool and watch his nephew with something akin to amusement?

Ian Rider had been someone he looked up to. Once. Well, certainly not anymore. In a seven year old's eye, Ian Rider was something close to perfect- smart, cunning, clever, calm, collected, eloquent... everything that pinpointed to a single word that was often used to describe his ex- guardian: cool. When Jack read Spiderman stories, or the Batman series to him, Alex could often picture the hero's face behind the masks of theirs; and more often than not, aforementioned heroes would resemble Ian Rider.

But now Alex knew everything he had unconsciously believed in Ian Rider was false, from the very start. Ian was ruthless. Cunning, wit, handsome features, but what did it matter? His guardian was merciless; cold- blooded, just like any other contract killer. His _uncle _was like them. SCORPIA. Yassen Greogorovich. Alan Blunt- MI6. CIA. They didn't care who, or the number of innocents they hurt. So long as they achieved their ends.

He could still hear Ian's words ringing in his ear.

_"That injury was inevitable... no one is at fault for the result of this violence. But behind this bloodshed, we can still find something of value to us..."_

_"Of course it's your fault- you _made _them fight each other!"_

_"Yes, Horse- and if given the chance I'd do it all over again. Through violence only can you learn the ways of survival; this is a cruel world, after all."_

_"So you just used Wolf and Tiger like some kind of... doll or puppet. Let them kill and wound each other to teach us a bloody _lesson."

_"Yes, that was my intention. However, I do not see any wrong with my teaching methods, nor do others; and I think it would be the wisest course of action for you, Horse, to do the same."_

_"You _used _them!"_

_"I repeat, I would do it all over again."_

Fool. He, Alexei Gerald; Alex Rider, had been an utter fool for believing that Ian Rider had cared for innocents at all. Even after he learnt that his uncle was a spy, he always thought, always assumed that his uncle had joined MI6 to make the world a safer place perhaps; to protect those who didn't deserve to be the victim of a crime.

The main fuel to gauge this startling reaction out of him was mostly due to the news Snake bore.

Wolf's wrist _wouldn't _heal. Not completely, not ever. It turned out it hadn't been the joint Tiger had broken; it had been Wolf's bone; Wolf's life- line; Wolf's career.

According to the doctor, all they could do now was hope. If Wolf's wrist managed to recover sufficiently enough to resume his normal duties; to fire a gun; climb up rocky cliffs... then perhaps he might be able to resume his career as K- Unit Captain. Also, Wolf's weight- lifting days were officially over. But there would always be a fragile sort of pain in his right wrist when strained, and it would be with the K- Unit Captain until the day he died. Not to mention his bone might be fractured and dislocated all over again once overexerted, and by then there would be nothing much to save the Captain's wrist again.

All this for a stupid lesson. Idiotic exercises invented by none other than one Ian Rider.

"Want some actual lunch?"

Alexei didn't need to turn around to know who was talking.

"Fox," he said numbly. "No thanks, you can have my share."

Fox was unwilling to give in. "We're having more training later; you'd best take it."

Alexei felt a sinking sense of dread in him at the mention of the lesson later. Fox would be up in the fighting ring, against Cheetah. Though the L- Unit member was slow, Cheetah was extremely strong, and was known to be L- Unit's best weight- lifter. "I'll try to talk the Sergeant out of it," Alexei said suddenly, his voice laden with worry. "He's got to see sense."

"I'll be _fine, _Alexei, don't worry," Fox said, softly but firmly, immediately understanding what the youngest K- Unit member meant.

"You're still hurt, Fox," said Alexei, not noticing that Fox had called him by something other than his code- name. "You're not yet fully recovered. You've only been out of the Hospital Wing by what- one day?"

"The doctors wouldn't have let me leave if they didn't think I was strong enough," assured Fox as he sat down beside Alexei by the bank. "Surely you of all people know that."

"They were hardly going to expect the new Sergeant to come up with a new curriculum as outrageous as this, were they?" muttered Alexei, his eyes fixed stonily on the water lapping against the shore. "You won't be fine, Fox. You're hurt."

Fox grinned, though his heart wasn't really in it. "Thanks for your protectiveness, brother, but I promise I'll come back in one piece for you."

"Brother?" Alexei's voice was surprised, something slightly close to a splutter. "And one piece or not, if your soul is floating off somewhere else, it still defeats the purpose."

The elder man leaned back against a huge rock and smiled as the conversation took a lighter turn. "Would you prefer it if I used the term 'mother'?"

Alexei scowled slightly. "No."

"Father, perhaps?"

"No. Horse, Fox. No nicknames."

Fox pretended to ponder a bit, before suggesting, "What about Alexei?"

Piercing blue eyes scrutinized him. "No," said Alexei flatly. "Horse."

"Gerald?" Fox tried, amused at Alexei's expression. "Or perhaps Gerald dearest?"

"_No," _repeated Alexei firmly. "You're only to refer to me as Horse. Nothing else. Certainly not any term of endearment. Frankly, I find it immensely disturbing."

"So do I," agreed Fox as he bit into the tough loaf. He brandished a breadstick in Alexei's direction forcefully for a few moments, before a reluctant Alexei received it with a sigh that sounded something like "Thanks."

"You're welcome," said Fox cheerfully, before shifting his gaze onto the calm lake again.

They fell into companionable silence for a while, before Fox's keen eyes darted towards Alexei's face. The younger of the pair had a strange look on his face; something akin to desperation, sorrow and pain hidden behind the lines of fatigue, making Alexei Gerald almost seem like the appropriate age. Then in a flash it was gone, and Alexei was staring listlessly across the blue waters, before getting to his feet and brushing the bread crumbs off his uniform.

A taller shadow fell across the elder of the pair for a brief moment.

"We'll best be going," Alexei said at last, before turning his back abruptly. Fox was left alone by the lake, watching Alexei's hunched up figure disappear into the forest with a quick, long strides, wondering what on earth was responsible for causing the boy so much pain.

The thing that disturbed Alexei the most wasn't Ian Rider's nonchalant attitude- heaven knows his uncle could have masks schooled over his features to make people think what he wanted them to think of him. The fact that the conversation between Alexei and Ian Rider had gone quite similarly to the conversation he had with Julia Rothman almost a year ago discomforted him.

"_No one is at fault for that injury."_

_"Of course it's your fault, you _made _them fight each other!"_

_"...and you have to remember, Alex. If was his choice. If Dr. Liebermann hadn't lied and cheated his company and come to work for us, he would still be alive. It wasn't all our fault."_

_"Of course it was your fault. You killed him!"_

Just how much had Ian Rider become like SCORPIA? Or had he always been like that? Was it just because Alexei had been too blind to see through his uncle's mask for what his ex- guardian was, until now?

Well, either way, Alexei felt that he couldn't just stand by and watch any longer. Ian never listened to his nephew, but Alexei was determined that this time, Alexei Gerald would forcefully _make _Sergeant Darren Wynter listen and do what _he _said.

The teenage spy looked over his shoulder and made sure he wasn't being followed, before stepping out into the clearing. He could see the Sergeant's broad back facing him, as Ian Rider continued examining something that looked remarkably like a shotgun in his hands.

Alexei walked right up to Sergeant Wynter, a determined light in his eyes.

"Sir," he began, though he was careful to keep his distance. For some unknown reason, Alexei felt wary of Ian Rider.

Sergeant Wynter made no move to answer; for all he was concerned, Alexei could have just been another tree standing in the midst of a vast forest. Casting a weary eye around them, Alexei spoke again.

"Ian," he said this time. The word fell a tad reluctantly from his lips; if not for Fox, he would not have acknowledged his uncle at all. Especially not after that barbaric lesson before lunch.

It did the trick, as Alexei had known it would. But Ian Rider simply refused to play into Alexei's hands. He stiffened momentarily before resuming his observation on the apparently very interesting shotgun he held.

"Be quiet," murmured Ian to Alexei softly. "In this part of the forest, there may be scorpions. They do not hesitate to sting if they are uncertain of who you are, regardless whether you pose a threat."

"Not if you become like them," Alexei responded. "We live amongst them now. They stay in the forest; so do we. Do you think if another species learns their ways, they would not attack or harm the other?"

"I highly doubt it'd be that easy," returned Ian coolly.

Alexei started to pace slowly, but Ian shot him a warning look. "Careful," he repeated. "I suspect that scorpions live beyond that tree, in the bark. The scorpions there are from an extremely venomous species."

"You warn me, yet you yourself strive too close to that tree," Alexei told him, his eyes boring into Ian's as they continued their double message.

Ian quirked a small, indecipherable smile. "They won't sting me, not yet," he said. "I have my secret precautions after all."

"Pray indulge me in them?"

"Develop your own," Ian replied swiftly. "Try to learn, Horse. That is the sole reason I am here. Lesson begins in another fifteen minutes. Meanwhile, try to be careful, and avoid their deadly stings."

Alexei now wondered who exactly was Ian referring to, but he had heard noises of the soldier's approach in the distance. He knew it was time to go. Or forfeit this topic, anyway.

"Talking about lessons," Alexei began. "I'm sure you are aware that I do not approve of your methods. Also, I understand that you will do nothing to change them on my account. That's not to say I will give up trying," he added at Ian's momentary flash of knowing look. "Nevertheless, I must ask of you one single favor, and I think it would be to your best interests to oblige me this single request."

"You _are_ learning," murmured Ian softly, his lips twitching slightly, but otherwise he spoke nothing.

"My unit member, Fox, was hurt from a fire the last two weeks before you came," Alexei began. "He was treated for eight days in the Hospital Wing, and has been discharged the day before, but that's not to say he has recovered fully. He still hurts... his wounds are not fully healed. Therefore, I urge you to call of the fight between him and Cheetah for the next lesson."

"I've already set the rules," Sergeant Wynter said. "At any rate, if this were the occasion, he should have come and seen me himself. Not you. This is none of your concern, Horse."

"None of my concern?" repeated Alexei dangerously. "Perhaps, but it should be of your concern, sir. Because if you don't oblige, I'm afraid I'll have to indulge MI6 in a little of your secrets."

Ian raised an eyebrow. "And how are you going to manage that?" he taunted. "You're in the middle of training on Brecon Beacons, Horse. How can you get a message to MI6? All emergency messages to be sent to the Headquarters, in any event, has to have the approval of the appointed Sergeant, after all. And may I remind you, the Sergeant has every right to intercept aforementioned letter."

Alexei's eyes flared at the challenge. "Are you willing to bet on it?" he hissed, voice venomous. And all the while, in the background, footsteps were steadily approaching. In five minutes, the early arrivals would assemble in this clearing. "I'll just give you one word, then. Smithers."

"I've already checked the tents, Horse. There is no point in trying to fool me," the Sergeant sounded supremely confident and a tad irritatingly smug.

"There are still places you haven't," Alexei returned, meeting Ian's emerald gaze squarely. "You can't be certain."

"True," admitted Ian, surprising Alexei once again. "You can't check every single tree bark."

Alexei suddenly wondered if they were still on the same topic.

"I will consider the matter, Horse, but that's not to say I shall agree," Sergeant Wynter said at last. "If Fox has the same concern about his health as yours, then so be it. But if he feels differently, I shall assume that you are merely overacting, or trying to thwart my teaching methods, and proceed with my original plans nevertheless."

Alexei felt his mouth run dry. Fox wouldn't agree, would he? Fox's pride was strong, too...

"But sir," Alexei began, but he broke off almost at once.

Sergeant Wynter had left. And somehow, Alexei understood that the dismissal had been final.

Wolf winced slightly as he cracked open an eyelid. Brilliant light was filtering into the windows, dazzling him. He had been given anesthetic earlier before the operation, sinking him into blissful oblivion he had not experienced for a long while.

Then his senses came back to him, and he immediately remembered where he was- every soldier's nightmare. The Hospital Wing.

Although the Hospital Wing wasn't exactly uncomfortable itself, it had a unique way of making one feel claustrophobic; as though the patient were closed off from the entire world. And as a soldier, Wolf had always been something close to bursting with adrenaline, so the small, white and overly clean atmosphere did not suit the K- Unit Captain well. Indeed, he felt as though he were dying slowly with every second that passed. Wolf really didn't know how Fox managed to survive eight days in the same ward.

After making a mental note not to reprimand his fellow soldier again for not recovering fully before being discharged, Wolf raised his uninjured arm to press the bell, ringing for the nurses. His right hand was still in a cast, and there was a buzzing, numb feeling as he tried to move his wrist, but otherwise he was fine.

Frowning as no one came to answer his call, he gave the button a half- hearted jab again, before shrugging. If no one came to attend to him,... well, all the better.

He swung his legs off the bed before noticing with some disgust that his SAS soldier uniform had been stripped off, to be replaced by a pale flimsy shapeless _gown. _Wolf stared at his attire in horror. His trainers were now pale _pink _pajama long pants.

This was most probably the most humiliating thing that could have happened to a Captain.

Seething with unsuppressed rage, Wolf was ready to hurl himself out of the ward, before he noticed the drip being fed to his injured hand. Scrunching up his face, he started to tear off the bandages covering the needle embedded in his vein.

In two minute's time, Wolf was already standing (albeit a little unsteadily) by the ward door. His SAS soldier uniform was still nowhere to be seen, and that irked him more than the slight pain in his wrist. When he finally wrenched open the door knob with his good hand, he immediately came face- to- face with an unfortunate nurse.

Nurse Myra's pale blue eyes widened slightly in shock as she regarded the towering man before her.

"S-Sir," she managed to squeak slightly, before Wolf demanded loudly,

"_Where is my uniform?"_

Wolf had always been a scary figure; in his tired and weak yet furious state, he looked positively demented. The dark circles beneath his glaring wide eyes did not help.

"... in holding, sir," Nurse Myra said, her voice still a pitch higher than before. "Sir, you must rest- indeed, I insist that you return to bed at onc-"

"No," Wolf cut her off firmly with a tone that brooked no argument. "_I _insist, Nurse... Myra" he read her name tag pinned on her uniform- "That my property be returned to me immediately. You have evoked my personal human rights by taking advantage of m-"

"Nurse Myra!" barked a louder voice, and with some relief the nurse turned to face Doctor Stewart.

"Yes sir?" she inquired politely, a tad more confident than before. Wolf scowled.

"What are you doing here, dawdling in the corridors!" he barked. "There's an emergency in Ward 109, and we're short of staff. Hurry on!"

"Ward 109?" Wolf interrupted suddenly. "Did you just say there is an emergency in Ward 109?"

The doctor seemed to notice Wolf for the first time.

"Oh, you were taking care of this one then?" Doctor Stewart addressed an anxious Nurse Myra. "Well then, I suppose... carry on. I'll get Rose instead."

Stewart hurried down the corridor. It was only when he heard Nurse Myra's protesting voice, "_Sir!" _when he turned around again, his scowl evident on his face. His frown deepened when he saw who was standing directly behind him.

"What do you think you are doing?" he demanded, rounding on Wolf irritably. "Get back to your ward! There's a crisis here, I can't spare any of the staff- "

"Is Eagle awake?" Wolf cut across Doctor Stewart anxiously. "He woke up, didn't he?"

"_Excuse me," _the doctor said angrily. "You are aware you're obstructing my operation? If anything happens to your friend, don't blame me, then! You are postponing- "

"I'm not blocking your way, I'm just following you!" Wolf said loudly and quickly.

"No can do, Captain Wolf!" snarled Doctor Stewart. "Move aside!"

Wolf ignored Doctor Stewart and sprinted ahead, down the corridor. It took a few moments for the doctor to realize what the Captain was doing; Wolf was deadly fast. He was a soldier, and Stewart was but a mere doctor, after all. Stewart was also nearing his sixties, and was in no fit shape for agility, not even for running down Hospital Wing corridors.

"Captain Wolf!" he shouted, all Hospital rules and decorum thrown out of the window, "Come back this instant! You have no authorized admission!"

"I don't need one!" yelled Wolf back over his shoulder.

Wolf arrived a minute earlier than Doctor Stewart at Eagle's Emergency Ward. Without waiting for permission, he barged in, but the curtains were drawn so he couldn't see his friends... just a couple of medics dressed in turquoise attire, masks, surgery gloves...

"... he woke up for a brief moment," Wolf heard one medic say. "Directly after that visitor left... if we had been here in time... "

"It's too late," another said with a sigh, "He's lapsed back into coma. I think we might have to move him to London's Hospital. If he doesn't wake up by the end of this week, I wager he's already a lost case. Few wake up after such a long time."

There was a general murmur and sighs as the paramedics started to pack their tools to be gone. Wolf, however, was still standing at the exact same spot, his face ashen as he absorbed the news.

_...he woke up for a brief moment..._

_...directly after that visitor left..._

_...talking to coma patients may act as a stimulant to wake from their induced sleep..._

_...if we had been here in time..._

_... it's too late..._

_A lost case._

"EAGLE!" bellowed Wolf suddenly, tearing apart the curtains that prevented him from seeing his friend, "Eagle!"

All of the surgeons looked up in shock at the sudden loud outburst, but Wolf paid them no heed. All that mattered was that he had to reach his best friend- see him wake up again-

He had braced himself for the sight, but nothing could have prepared him for this. In a few weeks' time lasping in coma and shadows, Eagle's entire being had changed so much; Wolf had to look twice at his friend to recognize it was really him.

Eagle had... shrank. There was no other way to describe him. He was pale, and all of a sudden... _thin, _bearing a tiny resemblance to Alexei. Nine days of not seeing his friend, and this was the result. Eagle, from tanned and muscular, to pale and scrawny.

"Oh no," moaned Wolf, taking in the still figure before him.

The entire ward had gone quiet. All were prepared to throw Wolf out of the Emergency Ward for entering without authorized access - it was strictly against regulations- but they noticed that the person standing before them was the legendary Captain Wolf, whom not so long ago blackmailed one of the doctors into letting Wolf drive the Hospital Wing's jeep. And the expression on the Captain's face... it wasn't furious- scary exactly, but more of anguished... and somehow that look was quite eerie.

"Wolf? Eagle?"

Another figure with unauthorized access burst into the ward, closely followed by Doctor Stewart, who had a pained look on his face.

"Please, you can't just barge in like that-" the doctor began, but everyone ignored him.

"Wolf!"

The K- Unit Captain turned around and found himself looking at Snake, disheveled and breathing heavily.

"I- I heard about... Eagle," Snake finished with a lost look, as his gaze fell upon the still unconscious figure on the bed.

"They said he would be a lost case if he doesn't wake up by the end of this week," Wolf said, forgetting to be fierce towards Snake. His voice came out as something like a croak. "He was nearly saved- they say he woke up briefly after a visitor-..." Wolf broke off, suddenly returning to his fierce self.

"Who was the visitor?" Wolf demanded, his eyes blazing as he scrutinized the staff.

Nobody answered; all were keen to avoid his gaze. Doctor Stewart shifted uncomfortably in the background.

"Well, answer me!" Wolf said fiercely. "Who was the visitor?"

"It was me," Snake said this time, his voice quiet. "I came to visit Eagle after- well, you came here."

Wolf pursed his lips. "I suppose the Sergeant made _exceptions _so you were the only one out of our Unit to be allowed to see Eagle?"

Snake didn't know whether Wolf was angry or not. He supposed he was. Snake nodded slightly, before adding a defiant, "Yes, he did."

"What did you say to him?" demanded Wolf. "Maybe if we talk more we can wake Eagle up. Go on!"

Feeling suddenly self- conscious, Snake started, "I- well, I told him about today. The Sergeant and everything. The fight, I mean. And what happened."

"So you told Eagle Tiger broke my wrist and Eagle woke up?" Wolf said, his emotions indecipherable. Snake didn't reply. That wasn't an accurate way of putting it...

Wolf started to nod slowly. "Yes, it would make sense," the Captain began. "If Eagle's loyalty to me were that fierce... it'd startle him to know that I've been hurt. He would have been itching to punch Tiger straight in the face. That was the stimulant to wake him up!"

Snake didn't seem so sure.

"That's a… unique theory," began Snake uncertainly. All the surgeons were currently eyeing Wolf suspiciously, and Snake knew they were only seconds away from being thrown out of the Emergency Ward for good.

"Wolf," Snake tried again, but his Captain wasn't listening.

Much to the surgeons' alarm and outburst, Wolf approached Eagle's still figure and bellowed, "_Eagle! _Do you hear your Captain?"

Snake stared at Wolf, dumbstruck. Wolf had certainly lost it.

"Today Sergeant Wynter made us fight each other as a lesson… I'm sure Snake told you. Tiger broke my wrist, Eagle!"

Snake could hear Doctor Stewart muttering to one of the nurses by his side, "Call the guards. We'll need to bodily remove Captain Wolf if we don't want the patient's conditions to be affected." Mentally, Snake groaned, but he made no move to stop Wolf. A part of him was still hoping that Wolf's speech would have its desired effect…

"My right wrist was a right bloody mess, Eagle," Wolf continued, still talking loudly, as though afraid that his friend wouldn't hear him. "The bone punctured through my skin. My wrist is still in a cast now."

The nurses left to do Doctor Stewart's bidding.

Wolf suddenly gave a cry, startling Snake badly. "What?" Snake demanded, nearing the bed, half- expecting a miracle to happen. Perhaps Eagle's eyelids had blinked open, for a moment?

"His little finger, I saw it move!" Wolf exclaimed.

"You did not," Doctor Stewart said sternly, and this time he made his way up front to Eagle's bedside to confront Wolf. "You were imagining it, or else you were merely trying to fool me. Well, I'm having none of it. Out you go, now. Before you affect my patient's conditions."

Wolf, apparently, was having none of it either. "Oh, I certainly hope I _will _affect _my friend's _condition, because his current condition isn't so good!" he retorted angrily.

The security guards had appeared. Doctor Stewart waved his hand in a general direction at Wolf, before rubbing his forehead, as though Wolf were an annoying mosquito that had somehow contributed to his headache. The three security guards immediately complied, and seized Wolf roughly by his hands.

"No! Wolf!" Snake cried, watching as pain exploded over Wolf's features. The guards looked at Snake then Wolf a tad curiously, before the slightly less dense of the three noticed the cast and let go quickly.

Snake didn't dare to look at what damage it had caused his Captain, and as he was a medic, that was saying something. Wolf's wrist hadn't even _started _healing yet! What if the damage were severe? Wolf's career would be officially over.

'_But isn't that what you wanted?' _A small voice said in Snake's ear. '_The Captain's position would be free. You would be able to access it, unchallenged.'_

Then Snake batted the thought aside forcefully. He was too occupied to deal with his own psychologically contradictory mental battles right now.

Wolf was now doubled over, but still hovering stubbornly by Eagle's bedside.

"Wake up Eagle," grunted Wolf, cradling his wrist painfully to his chest. "Wake up and avenge me. Goodness knows I really need your support these days. Your Captain orders it."

The guards stood aside, shock and guilt chasing across their features at the knowledge that they had aggravated a patient's condition. Doctor Stewart smacked his forehead and cast them a furious look before exiting the ward. The surgeons looked anxious.

In their haste to cart _Wolf _off to the emergency ward, and amidst all the chaos, surgeons, and impatient ushers for Snake to get out, nobody noticed Eagle's little finger twitch slightly for the second time, before it fell still again.

**A/N: Although I wouldn't consider this chapter short, (5,600 words including Author's Notes) I find that it involved very little scenes, and apologize if you found it not long enough. Anyway, I hoped you liked it. Once again, thank you so much to those who reviewed. I really hope you'll do the same for this chapter, and tell me what you think! **

**PS : More explaination regarding Alexei's reaction in store!**

**Rating system:**

**:D for awesome/ amazing**

**'.' for lovely**

**'O' for okay**

**'X' for terrible**

**Wishing you all a Happy New Year!  
>Epsilon Scorpii<strong>


	18. Chapter 18: Operation

**¬Last One Standing¬****  
><strong>_Chapter Eighteen:__  
><em>_Operation_

_DISCLAIMER: _I own nothing of Anthony Horrowitz's characters. Here's just an ordinary 14 year old girl wishing she does. Hope you enjoy the story!

_**Thanks to the special people who reviewed in the last chapter!**_

* * *

><p>It had been five minutes since they had gathered in the training facility, awaiting the next lesson. This time, Alexei alone stood apart from the others. Wolf was still at the Hospital Wing; Eagle in coma, Snake missing for some unknown reason, and Fox was preparing for his fight.<p>

Alexei felt sick. He didn't think he could watch the fight that was about to commence. Fox had merely shrugged off Alexei's concern and plunged in recklessly into the fight with no thought of his own injuries. Now all Alexei's hope rested on Ian Rider... and in Alexei's opinion, that was next to nothing.

There was another shrill blast of whistle, and both opponents stepped into the ring to fight. Sergeant Wynter then strode briskly into the middle to face them both.

"Before we begin our next lesson," he started, talking directly to Fox, "Horse seems to have some maternal _concerns _regarding your health condition, Fox."

Alexei felt his annoyance flare and his face heat up simultaneously. Right. He really should have known better. This ribbing would be expected. Typical Ian Rider.

The rest of the L- Unit jeered and howled in laughter at this, although there was nothing remotely funny. It was obvious that the L and K- Unit rivalry was once again thriving, and the former unit seized every opportunity to humiliate the latter. It didn't help that more than half of K- unit was missing in action, including their Captain.

Fox, however, smiled a little and met Alexei's glare.

_You'd better not put my suffering to waste._

"It's alright, sir," Fox said, facing the front again. "I think I can manage this guy."

Fox put on his best smile as his gaze landed on Cheetah. The L- Unit member cracked his knuckles loudly in response. Sergeant Wynter nodded and raised his eyes to meet Alexei's blazing azure stare.

"You've got your answer, Horse."

Alexei gave Fox one last look. _Please don't._

Fox smiled again and shook his head slightly, telling Alexei wordlessly not to worry. But how could he _not? _Alexei knew Fox was still hurt. How could K- Unit hope for beating Cheetah when their fighter had to fight a wince every time he _stretched? _And here Alexei thought Fox had more sense than the others.

"On the count of three!" the Sergeant began again.

Alexei watched grimly as the opponents circled each other, Cheetah throwing false jibes, Fox keeping his distance, drawing away from the opponent steadily. Both their eyes were calculating, speculating every next move. L- Unit's cheers were louder than ever, making the training facility sound like something in a fighting ring. Alexei presumed that they wanted to make up for their Captain's defeat by Wolf. Indeed, Alexei saw Tiger snarling insults at Fox, his face fierce- but not quite as scary as Wolf.

"Three!"

"_Cheetah! Cheetah!"_

"Two!"

Alexei felt the need to support Fox, but his voice was hopelessly drowned out by the other Unit. Furthermore, he had never been comfortable performing a cheerleader's role. But was the only K- Unit member left! If he didn't support Fox, nobody would.

"One!"

"_FOX! FOX FOX FOX!"_

Alexei's eyes widened in shock. Even as he spun round, he saw Wolf's stiff figure making his way into the training facility, Snake lagging slightly behind, but both couldn't quite keep their anxiety out of their features.

"GO!"

Fox had been staring at Wolf with an mixed expression; somewhere in between horror, gratitude and exasperation, but when the shrill blast of the whistle sounded again, he whirled around to face Cheetah once again. Too bad- Fox was too late. As the experienced knew, one distraction could prove fatal to the rest of the fight, and Fox was about to learn that lesson the hard way. Doubtless Sergeant Wynter would be pleased to add it to his collection of 'Lessons to Learn'. Despite everything, Alexei still managed to scowl deeply at the thought.

Cheetah threw his first blow even as the whistle sounded. Fox was still whirling around when the L- Unit member's fist connected solidly with Fox's jaw, causing Alexei to wince. Fox stumbled backwards slightly, and Cheetah immediately used the K- Unit member's temporary windedness to gain the upper hand. He slammed his foot with full force into Fox's stomach, and as Fox doubled over, Cheetah used an elbow strike to ram Fox in the back.

Alexei couldn't see Fox's face now; but Cheetah's maniacal smile told him all needed to know. It certainly looked like Fox had been defeated, in barely ten seconds. Then all of a sudden, Cheetah's expression froze, and his eyes bulged in their sockets.

"_Cheetah!" _the crowd screamed.

Wolf, Snake and Alexei remained silent, wondering what had happened.

Then Fox shrugged his opponent off completely. This time, Cheetah was the one winded; the L- Unit member stumbled backwards, gasping for breath before raising his eyes slightly to meet Fox. Except that Fox wasn't there.

The K- Unit member's actions were a blur. He had twisted out of the way of Cheetah's last, desperate and clumsy lunge, then landed lightly on the balls of his feet behind his opponent. Cheetah's eyes widened, perhaps comprehending what was about to happen, before he keeled forwards, onto his knees. Then his head met the ground, much to the shock of the entire facility.

Except, seemingly, Sergeant Wynter, who broke the silence with a slow handclap.

Then Alexei and Snake and Wolf were clapping hard, applauding their friend, even as they rushed to his aid. Again, though he had defeated L- Unit, Fox didn't fare well either. The wounds in his back proved most fatal, mostly because the area he had been burnt the worse had reopened when Cheetah landed his elbow strike.

Fox was panting, sweating and breathing heavily, but he still wore a tired yet triumphant smile as his unit members quickly helped him to his feet.

"Guess it's my turn," Fox said wearily as Snake reached out a hand to pull Fox up. Fox grinned slowly at the sight.

"Do we need to get into fights for you to return to us?" Fox asked Snake a tad cheekily, causing Snake to bite his lip. A faint blush appeared on Snake's cheeks, before he added a gruff, "Hurry up. The medic hasn't all day."

Alexei didn't quite know why, but he understood that in a twisted way, somehow Snake had been forgiven, by both Wolf and Fox. Partially, anyway. The apologies or acceptance was wordless; without a phrase, but years of fighting and training alongside each other, covering each other's backs, trundling through dark forests and complaining behind the Sergeant's back had built a strong relationship that had seemingly blessed the original K- Unit members with something like telepathy. And the thought made Alexei feel strangely lonely, as though he were an outsider intruding on K- Unit…

Which in a sense, he was.

Quietly, he watched as Snake helped Fox away to the Hospital Wing, the latter bracing himself for another week's worth of confinement. That left only Wolf and Alexei in the training facility. Deciding that it was a safe enough question to ask, Alexei turned to face his Captain.

"Why are you here?"

Wolf seemed to think that it was dumb question… at least his expression clearly said so. "Where else should I be?"

"I don't know. Perhaps the Hospital Wing would be the most appropriate place for a patient to rest and recuperate?" Alexei said sarcastically.

Wolf snorted. "When my fellow team mate is fighting his life out here in the training facility? No, I think not."

Alexei nodded. He'd gathered as much. "How did you get the doctors to let you go?" he said, just to maintain conversation and prevent the Sergeant from summoning him over again.

"I'm me," Wolf said simply. Alexei thought that it was a pretty stupid answer until he realized that Wolf had a point.

"I have something to tell all of you," Wolf said abruptly, and his previous blazing eyes dimmed somewhat. "I shall tell all of you tonight, back at K- Unit camp. So don't wander off. It's important."

Alexei felt a bit surprised at this. Whatever he was expecting, he hadn't anticipated _that. _Wolf was never one to wait to indulge others in whatever he wanted to say. He made everybody stop whatever they were doing and listen to him right this instant. To have something like a scheduled meeting in K- Unit, and to be asked to attend… was something extremely foreign and new to Alexei.

"Um, okay," said Alexei uncertainly. "I promise I'll be there. Who's tent, by the way?"

"Mine," Wolf replied, his eyes distant. "You'd better be. I'll need you and your stealth tonight."

Alexei was feeling downright confused as he returned to K- Unit Camp that day, directly after dinner. Wolf was nowhere to be seen; he had been missing since their training with Sergeant Wynter had ended twenty minutes previously. Alexei briefly suspected that his captain had been carted off by some undercover nurses back to the Hospital Wing, before he noticed how absurd that explanation sounded.

He hadn't felt at ease the entire day; first because of Sergeant Wynter's sudden appearance, next because of Wolf and Fox's fight, and now because he was the only one left with Snake. Alexei noticed that all the members in K- Unit had taken their turn to be out of action, except him. The lucky Horse.

Alexei finished his share of the gruel and bread quickly before leaving, packing Wolf and Fox's share with him. If Snake had noticed, he didn't comment, but kept his hawk- like eyes fixed on his bread, not taking any notice of anyone around him. Which suited Alexei just fine. Yesterday, Snake had still been up and about power playing. Perhaps the man had now decided otherwise. Well, at least that was another good thing that came out of Sergeant Wynter's training lessons.

It was much to Alexei's surprise to see Fox already approaching Wolf's tent when he arrived at K- Unit campsite. Wasn't Fox supposed to be at the Hospital Wing as well?

His only friend at K- Unit turned around simultaneously. Catching sight of Alexei, Fox flashed the teenage spy a grin before beckoning Alexei to join him.

Feeling slightly wary, Alexei followed Fox into Wolf's tent, which was more spacious than the rest. Alexei supposed that it really did pay off being a Captain.

"Are you sure we can enter yet?" Alexei asked uncertainly, even as he entered head- first through the tent flap behind Fox. "Won't Wolf mind?"

"Oh, we've his permission alright," Fox assured Alexei, though the hidden wince as he sat down on the grass beside Alexei didn't go unnoticed. "Wolf told me to come in and wait in here while he sorted things out."

"What sort of things?" Alexei asked. "Where is Wolf now?"

"Hospital Wing," Fox replied. "He managed to get me out, but only for thirty minutes- sadly. He's still arguing with the doctor. Both me and Wolf, I'm afraid, will have to stay the night at the Hospital Wing."

"Great, that makes the three of you," said Alexei.

Fox laughed. "I hope you won't make it four," he told him. "When are you battling the Sergeant himself?"

Alexei felt a surge of annoyance at this cruel reminder. "End of the week," he replied. "After all of you have fought your limbs off."

"Ah. I see."

"Any idea why Wolf wants to hold a meeting here?" Alexei asked, changing the topic abruptly.

Fox looked up at the question. "No," he said, "But whatever it is, it's big."

"Has Wolf ever done something like… this, in the past?" Alexei asked a tad hesitantly. "Or is this his first time upholding a meeting? It's not exactly standard procedure in the soldier camp, is it?"

"No, it isn't," Fox replied. Alexei noticed that Fox was avoiding all action at the best as he could. Doubtless every small movement still brought a spasm of pain to the wounded soldier. "Nowhere in the rulebook does it state that the Captain must hold meetings with his fellow unit members once a month or anything like that. And Wolf has done this before, long ago, when Eagle had barely joined over a year."

"Why?" Alexei asked curiously, despite himself.

"Eagle excelled in one of our very important examinations- which involved rock- climbing, jumping off cliffs and diving into the seas, parachuting and what not- while Wolf surprisingly came in last among us all. He said he was held up, never mentioned by what. That was when Eagle got his first Gold Star. Anyway, Wolf thought that Eagle would make a better Captain than him, so he called the meeting to hand over his badge to Eagle. He had talked to the Sergeant, and the Sergeant agreed, too."

"Wolf handed over his Captain's position?" Alexei said in disbelief. "Which Sergeant was it?"

"Oh you wouldn't know that Sergeant," Fox said with a small smile, "This was years ago- you were probably still learning how to run. The old Sergeant was Sergeant Calder- the best Sergeant we ever got, in my opinion. Anyway, in the end, Wolf didn't hand over his position because Eagle wouldn't let him."

Alexei said nothing. He never thought this possible of Wolf. It seemed as though he had misjudged Wolf's sense of honor and loyalty towards his unit members.

"Eagle was promoted too, you know," Fox continued, "A year after he received the Gold Star, he was promoted to Captain of B- Unit. Not a very famed Unit, mind, but still. Wolf was restless when he heard the news; got a tad upset, not that he would admit it. Anyway, on the day of Eagle's promotion, we- the entire K- Unit, turned up to support Eagle. That was when Eagle announced his decision to turn down the promotion right in front of everybody. He said he wanted to stay in K- Unit, and would never leave for anything." Fox laughed a bit at the last part. "I could've sworn Wolf was close to crying."

"I never knew they were that close," Alexei said quietly. "I knew Eagle was Wolf's staunchest ally… but I had no idea…" He trailed off. The words _'and now Eagle's still in coma' _hung heavily in the air, unspoken but understood. Fox sighed.

"I don't know when he will ever wake up," Fox said, his voice soft. "I didn't tell anybody this… but when I asked Nurse Myra about Eagle, she said that I should get prepared and not get my hopes up. That was all."

"Nonsense!"

Fox jumped slightly and winced in pain as he saw Wolf enter the tent. Alexei looked over to his Captain with slight annoyance. Trust Wolf to enter at this moment.

"Where's Snake?" Alexei asked instead. "Isn't he coming?"

"Yes he is," said a familiar voice. "He's here."

Alexei refrained from rolling his eyes as Snake made a similar entry to his Captain. Wolf waited impatiently for Snake to sit down before he started, straight to the point.

"This afternoon, after Snake sent me off into the Hospital Wing, he visited Eagle on his own- as the Sergeant had given Snake special authorization to Eagle's ward."

Snake shifted a bit uncomfortably, but otherwise he looked a tad defiant, as though prepared for a challenge from the others. But no one spoke as Wolf continued.

"The point is, Snake said a few things to Eagle, and this acted as a stimulant," Wolf continued, his voice rising gradually as he spoke. "I'm not sure what exactly he told Eagle, but it worked! The doctors say that Eagle woke from his coma briefly."

"He's awake?" Fox interrupted with a gasp. "Eagle's awake now?"

"No," Wolf snapped. "When the idiotic doctors reached him, all they could say was _it's too late. _Eagle had lapsed back into coma state."

Alexei offered no opinion. This turn of events was bad. The unexpected hope Wolf had was crushed, and Alexei could tell that Wolf was growing agitated. Most probably, the Captain would have hatched an insanely dangerous plan.

"The nurses let slip that it is hardly likely for Eagle to wake up again if he doesn't snap out of unconsciousness by the end of this week," Wolf said. He had leapt up from the floor and started pacing around. "And the problem is, none of us have _authorized entry."_

Fox nodded. "Our old Sergeant has been replaced."

Which meant Snake no longer had the special authority to visit Eagle. It may also explain his sudden lack of interest at power playing.

"And the doctors expect Eagle to wake up by himself with no one to stimulate him!" Wolf's frustration punched out of his calm exterior. "They don't let us in, saying that it'll affect Eagle's condition and what not! I tell you, clearly the doctors are lying- they're hoping that Eagle will just stay that way, or die, because that's what MI6 would want!"

He shouted the word 'MI6' so loudly Alexei was certain that any retrieval team on patrol would have heard him. The same idea occurred to Fox.

"Best lower your voice, Wolf," Fox murmured softly. "Someone could hear."

"What, is it against regulations to talk together in my tent now?" Wolf showed no sign of yielding.

"No, but it _might _help if we are planning to put your plan into operation at all," snapped Alexei, unable to contain himself. His eardrums were still ringing from Wolf's loud voice.

Wolf looked so surprised that his voice dropped considerably in volume unconsciously. "How did you know about my plan?"

Alexei shrugged. "It's pretty clear to me what you intend to do. You have explained the situation. You mentioned that my stealth would be needed. And it was the first plan that popped into my mind as well."

"You plan to take us all and break into Eagle's ward in the middle of the night," this time it was Snake who spoke up, sounding both amused and excited at the same time.

"Yes," Wolf confirmed. "We might be able to bring Eagle back to consciousness and show MI6 differently."

"But the doctors _do _have a point, Wolf," said Snake quietly. "Not that I'm against your plan or anything, but if you stimulate a coma induced patient too much, the patient's brain might not be able to absorb or react to so many stimulants at once… and well, you might cause more severe damage. It is likely that Eagle might become a vegetable as well."

Wolf scowled. "So you want me to stay here and watch him rot?" he said loudly, raising his voice again.

"No," said Fox instead. "We'll go and see him tonight, but we must be careful. Snake can tell us how exactly do we um… treat Eagle, so as not to alarm or aggravate his condition."

Wolf didn't seem pleased; he was impatient to get going already, but the medic of K- Unit did have a strong point. Reducing Eagle to a vegetable was the least thing he wanted.

"Right. Go on," Wolf said shortly.

"You can just treat him normally," said Snake, aware that everyone's eyes were on him. "Talk to him as usual, just that don't raise your voices, and avoid talking together all at once, I think. The most important part is when we first enter the ward, we must take care not to alarm him. That's the important point."

Wolf nodded. "Okay, that settled. Can we get going now?"

"What about your plan?" Alexei asked this time.

"_This _is my plan!" Wolf said agitatedly. "Do you have a problem with it?"

"Yes, mainly because it's incomplete," Alexei finished before Wolf could stop him.

"So which part of it do you find fault with?" Wolf was clearly trying to rein in his patience.

"Didn't you do a bit of research before proposing the idea?" Alexei asked exasperatedly. "What time does the retrieval team scout our area? At what time intervals do the nurses or doctors check on Eagle? How do we sneak into the Hospital Wing? When do the guards switch turns to patrol around the north of the forest?"

"We don't have time!" said Wolf angrily.

"So basically, you're saying that we should just blunder into the woods and try our luck to get to Eagle before getting thrown out? Put all of our careers at stake? And besides, in case you've forgotten, retrieval is on high alert since Eagle was hurt at the forest cavern. Any sign of disturbance and they'll shoot." Alexei seemed to take out all of his annoyance at Ian Rider at Wolf instead. Three weeks of less than fitful sleep just added to his stress as well.

Wolf opened and closed his mouth furiously, but no words came out. Alexei had many strong points. After a minute's of tense silence, Alexei mentally sighed before speaking again.

"As a matter of fact, even if you have no research, I have," Alexei began. Three pairs of eyes swiveled to him at once. "Normally, retrieval team scouts east of our campsite from three to four dawn, west of our campsite one to two dawn. At least, that's the newest patented pattern. The schedules over the last week were irregular. The Hospital Wing is North East from here. So if you want to do any sneaking around, you must exit the camp by around twelve fifty midnight, then hide amongst the trees. Retrieval will then be approaching from east to our campsite. With luck and stealth you'll be able to slip by them and head into the opposite direction of retrieval, which is also the direction of the Hospital Wing."

Everyone was silent. Wolf, especially was eyeing the teenage spy before him with something akin to admiration. Fox was smiling somewhat brightly, and Snake was listening with rapt attention. Alexei felt slightly uncomfortable at all their combined gazes, not to mention the immense blanket of silence that seemed to have fallen over Wolf's tent.

"Still with me?" Alexei asked for good measure, eyeing the three soldiers before him.

Wolf nodded. "Carry on," he said.

Alexei complied. "I have no idea when does security switch turns in patrolling the Hospital Wing back door- which you'll use to enter, but I have a vague idea that it happens around one o' clock, so you will have to move pretty fast."

"A vague idea?" Fox sounded bemused.

"You should know," Alexei told him, feeling his lips twitch into a smile. "When you were helping me to sneak out of the Hospital Wing, the first week I was here. I heard the guards on duty complaining about having five more hours of patrolling before he would go and alert the next guard on duty. It was eight o' clock at night when he said so."

"That was really… clever," admitted Wolf, and both Snake and Fox looked up at the rare praise.

Alexei shrugged. "I merely did some simple mathematics. A toddler could do that."

"You make it sound so simple," Snake said.

"Everything always sounds simple. When you carry out your plans, it's another matter. So you don't need to be that impressed yet," Alexei said neutrally.

"But how can we sneak into the Hospital Wing?" countered Snake. "As far as I can see, when the guards switch turns to patrol, security will be even tighter than normal- there will be a double number of security. I don't see why we should pick that moment to sneak in."

A crafty smile lifted a corner of Alexei's mouth, and that moment he didn't look unlike Ian Rider.

"I think you hadn't heard me correctly, Snake," he smirked. "I said 'I heard the guards on duty complaining about having five more hours of patrolling before he would _go and alert_ the next guard on duty. Security in the Hospital Wing is abysmal, I grant you, so we needn't worry that much on that count. There are other more troublesome factors…"

"Like when do the nurses check on Eagle," supplied Fox helpfully.

"Yes, exactly," Alexei continued. "Do any of you have the answer?"

Wolf shook his head, but Fox had some idea. "The nurses used to check on me thrice every day on my stay."

"But you were only a regular patient," Alexei countered. "They might have different check up intervals in Eagle's case."

Snake thought for a moment before speaking. "Normally, doctors are advised to check on their patients, if induced in coma, at least four times a day. But if said coma patient has not woken up in a week's time, like Eagle, a regular check up once a day will be sufficient. However, seeing as Eagle nearly woke up today, his conditions might be less stable, thus the doctors might check on him more frequently… let's say, once an hour, or perhaps even twice."

"So that gives us thirty minutes maximum," Alexei said. "Snake, do you happen to know which Nurse is in charge of Eagle?"

"Nurse Rose and Nurse Michelle," he replied immediately. "I can be certain of that."

"Do they wear pale blue, pink or white uniforms?"

Fox and Snake shared a look before smiling simultaneously, knowing where this was going. "You're really one of our kind, perhaps even better." Surprisingly, it was Snake that had spoken.

Alexei was taken aback. "Oh. Thanks, I think."

"Well, I don't get it," interrupted Wolf, crossed that he was the only one that didn't grasp the plan. "What has their uniform got to do with anything?"

"The nurses are divided into three groups," explained Fox. "They wear their uniform according to their assigned groups- white, pale blue or pink. They have a fixed schedule of recess time. This enables the doctors to assign patients to the nurses more efficiently. For example, Patient A's condition needs to be checked up on a three hour regular interval, starting from eight o' clock at night. Since the namely 'White Group' has recess at eight o' clock every night, this limits the doctor's choice to choose nurses from either the pale blue or pink group. Nurse Rose's uniform is pink; Nurse Michelle's is pale blue, which means their recess is-"

"Eight to one o' clock and one to six o' clock respectively," Snake finished.

"They only get five hours of sleep?" said Wolf doubtfully.

"The nurses are given fifteen minutes to freshen up before taking their respective duties again," Snake said, "So that means we have from one o' clock to one fifteen to talk to Eagle."

"What, fifteen minutes?" Wolf said hotly. "That's not enough! We could enter at one twenty, after she's finished with checking on Eagle, then have Eagle all to ourselves for maximum thirty minutes before the nurse comes again."

"One fifteen is too late," Alexei pointed out, "The back door of the Hospital Wing will only remain free for three minutes at the most."

"Hold on, how are we supposed to unlock the back door?" Wolf said.

"Fox will do it," Alexei said, and Fox nodded in approval.

"What? He can pick locks now?" Wolf sounded incredulous.

"It locks from the inside, remember?" Fox told his Captain. "And we'll be inside, as we have to head back to the Hospital Wing in-" Fox checked his watch- "Two minutes. We'll pretend to sleep in the ward, wait for the Nurses to leave, then sneak out at one to unlock the back door for Snake and Horse."

"Fifteen minutes is still not enough to wake Eagle!" Wolf said.

"Snake can hide in one of both of your wards, then," Alexei said, "Until Nurse Michelle leaves."

Snake nodded. "It would work. Coma patients are always considered priority, so once Nurse Michelle's recess is over, she's bound to check on Eagle first before other patients. We must just be careful not to be seen by her."

"Wait, what about you?" Wolf asked Alexei.

"I won't be coming," Alexei said to Wolf as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I barely know Eagle, and my being there or not won't make a difference."

"Yes it will, and this is your plan! The entire K- Unit is involved in this operation, and whether you like it or not, you're coming," Wolf said stubbornly.

"Now that's hardly logical, is it?" said Alexei, annoyed. "I've already come up with the plan. You all can do the rest. Besides, Snake alone has better chances of not being caught by retrieval than me being with him."

"No. You are coming with Snake, and that is final!" said Wolf loudly. "You are no exception, Horse. If you want to stay in K- Unit, you're coming with Snake."

"Only my eyesight is good," Snake spoke up this time, "You can be my ears, then. Listen out for retrieval before they come close."

Everyone looked at Alexei expectantly.

"Fine!" snapped the teenage spy reluctantly. "I'm coming, alright? It's about time you return, too, or retrieval will be knocking on our doors searching for the both of you," he said, indicating Fox and Wolf. The K- Unit Captain scowled.

"I hate the Hospital Wing."

"This is only your first night there on this training," Fox pointed out. "I've barely been here for three weeks, and I've spent one in Hospital Wing. Not to mention I'm headed back there directly after that fight with Cheetah."

"Talking about your fight with Cheetah," Wolf said, "The Sergeant was very pleased with you. Quoting him directly, you used wit to defeat the opponent, which is the smartest and best way to overcome your enemies."

"When did you learn nerve jabs?" Snake asked.

"Some time ago," Fox replied vaguely.

"Sergeant Wynter was thrilled," muttered Alexei. "Three rigid fingers to the solar plexus. And what happened to '_I'll be fine'?"_

"Well, I underestimated Cheetah… or more, I got distracted," Fox said. "I wasn't focusing; it's my error. If I hadn't made that mistake, I figured that my nerve- jabbing would bring down Cheetah in twenty seconds, at the most. If it were any other opponent, I wouldn't be sure…"

"Yeah, 'cause Cheetah's actually a turtle," barked Wolf with a laugh.

"I didn't mean it that way," Fox said half- heartedly, before he shrugged and got to his feet, successfully hiding a wince as he did so. "Anyway, we ought to be going now. Come on, Wolf. See you guys later."

The K- Unit Captain obliged, but only reluctantly. However, he paused slightly by the tent flap, his eyes meeting Alexei's azure ones.

"You better turn up," Wolf added to Alexei before leaving. "You're part of the Unit now, Horse, whether you like it or not."

**A/N: What do you think? Sorry if it's a little too slow- paced for you. The K- Unit members will be trying to wake Eagle in the next chapter. :D Hope you liked it, and please tell me what you think!**

**Rating system:**

'**:D' for awesome/ amazing**

'**.' For lovely**

'**O' for Okay**

'**X' for terrible**

**Happy New Year!  
>Epsilon Scorpii<strong>


	19. Chapter 19: Antidote

**¬Last One Standing¬****  
><strong>_Chapter Nineteen:__  
><em>_Antidote_

_DISCLAIMER: _I own nothing of Anthony Horrowitz's characters. Here's just an ordinary 14 year old girl wishing she does. Hope you enjoy the story!

_**Thanks so much for your wonderful reviews! You really kept me going****. :D**_

* * *

><p>Alexei lay quietly in the darkness, counting the seconds until it was time for him to leave the campsite. He was currently sharing a tent with Snake, so that they could depart for the Hospital Wing together. However, Alexei was not finding this a particularly pleasing experience. He wondered if Snake was as uncomfortable as him.<p>

Turning to lie on his left, Alexei suddenly noticed something glinting off the little moonlight that had crept into their tent. Rubbing his eyes, he noticed that a small but elegant golden star was lying on the patch of grass before him. Then he noticed one more star lying close to the first, but flipped upside- down. Picking up the two golden brooches, Alexei cautiously whispered into the darkness, "Snake?"

Snake shifted a bit somewhere in the other corner, before sitting up. "Is it time already?"

Alexei shook his head slightly, before remembering that Snake wouldn't see him. "No, not yet. It's… I found your Gold Star brooches. They were lying on the grass here."

There was a slight rustle as Snake pushed off his covers and wandered over to where Alexei was. Snake then dipped his hand into his jacket pocket, before accepting the Gold Stars.

"Must've fallen out when I sat down," he muttered, mostly to himself. "Thanks."

He didn't sound very pleased.

Alexei watched curiously in the semi- darkness as Snake stuffed the Gold Stars away carelessly into his jacket pocket, before turning back to the other corner. Feeling slightly apprehensive, but obliged to ask anyway, Alexei spoke.

"Why aren't you wearing the Gold Stars?"

Snake didn't reply.

But somehow, Alexei thought he knew the answer… and he was glad for it.

"Come on, Horse. The time's up."

Alexei woke groggily to Snake's voice. Blinking away the sleep from his eyes, Alexei stumbled out of his covers and followed in Snake's wake to the tent flap. Snake peered out wearily, his dark eyes scanning their surroundings, just in case retrieval were prowling nearby.

Alexei checked his watch. It was ten minutes to one precisely, like he'd suggested. It was a wonder he had been able to fall into such a deep, dreamless sleep… pity he wasn't allowed to sleep tonight. After listening intently for another minute, Alexei and Snake exchanged the briefest of nods before opening the tent flap and sneaking out into the night.

Although this was hardly the first time Alexei had done this, he couldn't help but feel a thrill of anxiety as both soldiers crept out of their campsite, flitting into shadows amongst the tall trees of the forest, taking refuge behind huge rocks. It didn't help that it was full moon that night, so both rule- breakers would be spotted visibly in a clearing.

They wandered in the east of the forest cautiously, Snake checking his watch wearily. It was now five minutes to one. If they didn't reach on time, the entire operation would fail. Wolf would be livid. If they weren't lucky, they would get caught. If they were even more unlucky, they would get shot as intruders.

Then quite suddenly, retrieval _did _appear, just as Alexei had speculated. They were nine men dressed in navy uniform, armed to the teeth, patrolling the forest. Alexei and Snake stilled as they approached, and the pair crouched behind a forest rock formation, waiting for retrieval to pass by. Both felt very exposed as they were both backlit by the moonlight, but there was nowhere else to hide. Even so, both Snake and Alexei made the best out of their hiding place, sticking close to the stones and trying their best to camouflage their dark green uniform with the ferns and sprouts that sprang up around them. Two minutes passed by slowly, and the retrieval continued their patrol. K- Unit campsite was located in the clearing between the south and west forest, and it was only when the nine men had reached the clearing before Alexei and Snake felt safe to move. Simultaneously, they moved quickly and quietly from behind their shelter and half- ran towards the south- east forest.

In the end, both had to race there to be on time. Alexei managed to keep up with Snake throughout the journey, as it hadn't been a very long run. As it turned out, they needn't have worried that much either, as the guard on duty had yet to leave.

Snake and Alexei stopped behind a tree to catch their breath, then watched quietly as the guard on duty checked his watch impatiently. Alexei's watch beeped softly, signaling one o' clock dawn, and Snake flashed him a warning look, which Alexei ignored.

The guard didn't have a clue that two soldiers were about to steal their way into the Hospital Wing. With a small smile, the guard consulted his watch again, then called out into the night, hailing his partner.

"Hey, Josh! We can get going now. Let's go find Reese."

The two men left, laughing, already anticipating a nice time drinking some smuggled alcohol in the guardhouse. Alexei frowned slightly even though his plan had went smoothly so far.

"What is it?" Snake detected Alexei's unease.

"I was just wondering," Alexei replied cautiously, "Why don't they have transmitters to alert the next guard on duty?"

Snake smiled a bit at that. "Oh, that's no cause to be alarmed. The security guarding the Hospital Wing is abysmal, as you put it- they always have a game of cards or something like that before they report for duty- especially so for those guarding the back door. I learnt that when I had to stay in Hospital Wing for three weeks, after falling down a cliff."

Alexei nodded slightly. "Okay, so… coast clear?"

Snake's eyes scanned the area for a brief moment before he nodded. The back of the Hospital Wing had no surveillance cameras- Alexei had known as much from the first day he escaped from the Hospital Wing with Fox's help. Wordlessly, Alexei followed Snake, ducking low and moving quickly. Once they reached the back door, Snake tried it, and it opened without preamble. Even so, they were cautious to enter the Hospital Wing.

They emerged into a dimly lit corridor. No one was in sight. Even so, the strong odor of medicine was overwhelming. Alexei avoided breathing through his nose for as long as possible, but Snake, being a medic, didn't seem to mind it at all.

"Surprisingly, it was nice working with you," Snake commented lightly to Alexei, as they scanned the dark corridors ahead for possible threats. Like a surgeon armed with needles to throw if alarmed, for instance. Alexei shifted his concentration a bit at the last statement, his senses buzzing on high alert.

"You've given up the power playing thing right?" Alexei asked, feeling a bit bad at asking, but it was still a necessary question between them.

Snake was silent for a moment before shrugging slightly. "For today, I have."

Alexei relaxed a bit more at that. "Oh. Thanks, then. Nice working with you too."

As he reflected upon the ten minutes' time of sneaking round the retrieval into the Hospital Wing with Snake, Alexei suddenly realized that it wasn't merely a polite form of speech- the way he worked with Snake, the way both of them coordinated and worked together, surprisingly went smooth; smoother than any other time Alexei had cooperated with anyone else on a mission, however short, before. They took cover simultaneously, sensed danger, noticed the same things together. Alexei briefly wondered why they had been so alike. That was the only reason they had worked together well.

"Have you ever been to undercover missions before?" Alexei asked, eyeing the man before him.

Snake opened his mouth to whisper a reply, before a hiss out of the shadows interrupted their conversation.

"Snake! Horse! You reached safely?"

Wolf's voice was slightly louder than the average whisper, which caused Alexei to worry, but only slightly.

"Yeah, no one saw us," Snake confirmed. "Where's Fox?"

"Here," said a voice behind Alexei. "Hello Horse."

"Alright, now that that the party's here, let's move it," said Wolf, back in a Captain's role. "Here's the plan: Horse will hide in my ward, and Snake will hide in Fox's until one twenty, when the nurse has left. Then me and Horse will go to Ward 109. Fox and Snake, you come at one twenty five. Clear?"

The others nodded in agreement, and Alexei stepped forwards to walk with Wolf. The K- Unit Captain had finally persuaded the doctor to return his SAS soldier uniform, and he slept, ate and walked around with it. It was lucky that Wolf had also persuaded the doctor to give him a room right beside Fox's.

"If we're confronted," Wolf spoke in a low voice to Alexei, "Pretend you're Fox. You're scrawny enough, I guess, so with any luck we'll be able to pass you off as…" Wolf trailed off and swore as his eyes rested on Alexei. Both stopped in their tracks. Feeling a chill of foreboding creeping up his spine, Alexei's eyes flashed up and down the corridor, but there was nobody in sight, aside from Fox and Snake, who were still trailing some way behind quietly.

"What?" hissed Alexei, half- annoyed, half- relieved. "I thought you'd seen someone!"

Wolf eyed him for a while, before saying accusingly, "Are your boots high- heeled?"

Alexei looked at his Captain as though Wolf had gone mad. "Are you mental?" Then, sensing Wolf's oncoming outburst, Alexei hastily continued, "Look, we can't have this argument here, not in the middle of the corridor! We can talk in your ward, okay?"

Wolf pursed his lips and nodded, but not before adding, "This conversation is not over."

Alexei merely rolled his eyes, but chose not to comment.

They arrived without incident at Ward 108, around half a minute before Fox and Snake. Wolf gave them a signal before punching the code in the digit pad of his ward. The door whirred and swung open silently.

"In," Wolf commanded, just to boss Alexei around.

Alexei obeyed without complaint. As soon as Wolf shut the door behind them, the K- Unit Captain rounded Alexei in the corner of the room.

They were now uncomfortably close. Alexei could feel Wolf's breath against his cheeks. Worse still, Wolf's eyes were boring holes in the youngest member of K- Unit.

"Careful, Wolf," muttered Alexei, trying to edge away but finding it impossible, "You're straying close to 'awkward' here."

Wolf brushed the comment aside. "That's not the point."

Alexei glared at the K- Unit Captain. "Get off me. What are you trying to do?"

Wolf smiled manically. "We're alone in this room, Horse. I can do whatever I like to you."

Alexei's eyes widened a bit at this statement, and Wolf, realizing a deeper implication to his words immediately stumbled backwards away from Alexei and swore. For a long, horrible moment, nobody spoke, until Alexei mumbled a feeble "I _told _you."

Wolf coughed loudly to cover the awkward moment, before realizing that they were supposed to be in 'stealth mode'.

"Fine then, well, just answer my question," Wolf said. "And don't lie to me. Did you borrow Snake's high- heeled boots?"

Alexei was surprised. "Snake has high- heeled boots?"

"Clearly not, then," Wolf said, and much to Alexei's alarm, a maniacal grin spread across Wolf's features again, not unlike the one Alexei had witnessed minutes ago. "Well, that only draws one conclusion, doesn't it?"

"What draws what conclusion?" asked Alexei exasperatedly. "I'm in no mood to talk riddles with you today, so if you would kindly get to the point?"

Wolf looked slightly miffed at being talked to by Alexei that way, but he didn't say anything about Alexei's respect towards him. "The fact that you've suddenly grown by _inches," _he said, answering Alexei's question. "And since you're not wearing high heels, I'd wager you just hit a growth spurt. Not to mention your voice broke not so long ago…"

Great, so Wolf was still on this? Alexei hadn't even noticed that he had grown. But when he took a step closer to the K- Unit Captain, he realized that Wolf was right… since when had his height reached Wolf's ear? No, wait… it looked like-

"Am I taller than you now?" Alexei couldn't keep the amazement out of his voice.

Wolf's eyes bulged. "No!" he hissed loudly, before remembering once again to keep quiet. "No, you aren't. Just compare yourself to me. You're barely up to my eyes yet."

"Well, it's still an improvement," Alexei remarked. "I was only up to your shoulder when we first met."

"Yeah, sure!" Wolf responded, but deep inside he was curious. When they first met, Alexei was well over Wolf's shoulder- about level with Wolf's nose, even.

"So how old are you?" continued the K- Unit Captain. "And don't even _start _telling me you're twenty, because I'm hearing none of it."

"Just when will you stop prying into my business?" Alexei asked irritably.

"Until I get down to the bottom of your mystery," shot back Wolf, equally quick.

"Save your concern for Eagle," retorted Alexei. "He needs it more than I do. In fact, I'd be better off without your concern."

Wolf pursed his lips and made to retort angrily when Alexei waved his watch in Wolf's face. One twenty- one. Time to get going.

"This conversation is over," said Alexei firmly. "I'm making the decision this once. Now let's go."

"It isn't over," Wolf insisted, but Alexei smirked.

"Only two can start a conversation," the younger of the pair said. "You can talk and guess all you'll like, I'll neither confirm nor deny any of your thoughts. Happy playing detective, Captain."

Wolf scowled deeply, but once again, Alexei had gotten the last word in. With a small taunting smile, the teenage spy had disappeared out of the door into the darkness of the corridor.

"Hey, wait for me!" hissed Wolf, hurrying to catch up with Alexei.

* * *

><p>Even though Ward 109 had four visitors and one coma induced patient in it, the ward was very quiet. All were staring as though they couldn't quite believe what they were seeing, at the pale, rather scrawny figure before them, someone that used to be their liveliest and most devious K- Unit member and friend.<p>

Eagle lay, still like a corpse, amidst the various needles and wires connected to his chest, brain and limbs, eyes closed. The sight was eerie to behold, especially in the semi- darkness. Only the dim lights from the corridor could filter in through the crack of the door, and the pale patient seemed to emit an unearthly, pearly glow…

Okay, that bit was not true. Probably just his vivid imagination. But as Wolf watched his unresponsive best friend before him, he couldn't help but feel a wave of sadness; angst, steal over himself. Shame, too. He hadn't been able to protect his unit member. He ought to have been there, stopped MI6 and whatever fate that lay in store for Eagle. He should've seen what was coming! He had sworn to fight forever with Eagle, side by side, as comrades, until one of them left… a typical soldier vow, but Wolf wasn't prepared to break it so early.

"Eagle," whispered Wolf, the first to break the silence. "Er… just so you know, I've brought the entire K- Unit here to visit you in the middle of the night. So, um… please don't freak out. Not that a coma induced patient _can _freak out but still…" He was rambling. Right, time to shut up. Then he remembered to add a P.S., "The entire K- Unit includes Horse now, by the way. You missed a lot when you were in coma."

Alexei now felt as though he were intruding on K- Unit's privacy. He ought to be standing somewhere else, far away from Ward 109… what made him come in the first place? Why did Wolf insist him come? It really made no sense.

He looked around, trying to find a suitable spot to meld into.

Silence descended somewhat awkwardly, over all of them. It felt good to be scheduling plans and scheming how to break in to the Hospital Wing, but Alexei was clueless as to how to wake up a coma- induced patient. It seemed as though the other K- Unit members were as clueless as he was, for the entire K- Unit hovered about Eagle's bed in a full three minutes' silence. Eventually all pairs of eyes turned to Wolf again, as he was Captain.

However, Wolf had no great ideas to offer. "Just go on and wake him up," he snapped self- consciously, "We broke in here for a reason right? Somebody stimulate Eagle!"

Wolf grimaced right after he said that, his voice was a bit over stealth- mode. Just to cover up his embarassment, he locked gazes with Alexei and issued a new order. "You, Horse. Try something."

"Excuse me?" Alexei said, but his voice plunged unnaturally again.

"Stimulate Eagle," repeated Wolf.

"Now you're making less sense than before, and that's saying something," said Alexei irritably. "Why should I? None of you are trying anyway. And I've hardly ever talked to Eagle before. I barely even know him."

"Just do something... out of the blue," suggested Wolf.

"Or maybe we could hold hands and sing 'Wake Up' by Hillary Duff and dance around Eagle's sick bed," said Alexei, annoyed. "That would be stimulating, wouldn't it?"

Wolf fell silent. Alexei thought he had somehow impressed the K- Unit Captain with his argument, before Wolf suddenly inhaled a deep breath and looked up, as though steeling himself for the worst.

"You think it'll work?" he demanded of Snake. Snake looked up in surprise.

"It... might. It's certainly stimulating, I think, especially if you sing," Snake replied a tad unhelpfully. Alexei looked at Wolf as though the K- Unit Captain had grown another head.

"You are _not _serious," he said disbelievingly. "Now that was just a purely insane-"

"I said I would do anything, didn't I?" said Wolf, though he did sound a bit unsure of himself. "Well, if it helps, I'm willing to try. How loud do you think we should, um- sing?"

"We'll be thrown out of the Hospital Wing in no time if we do it aloud!" hissed Alexei. He couldn't _believe _this. Wolf must have gone totally nuts. Snake and Fox were exchanging both apprehensive and amused looks, as Wolf paced up and down the ward, racking his brains for the best solution. Which would probably be another crazy plan. Alexei suddenly realized that his unit captain was only good in battle. Or at least, he was ridiculous when it came to waking up coma patients.

Wolf was still bouncing ideas off his unit members. "What if we do it softer? Or, um- hum Mozart under our breaths instead?"

"You call that stimulating?" snorted Alexei before he could help himself. "And I highly doubt that you know more than four bars of Mozart."

"Twinkle twinkle little star was also written by Mozart," pointed out Fox very much helpfully.

"Yes, good point, Fox!" Wolf said, trying to sound triumphant, but everyone could see it was a ridiculous plan. Naturally, Wolf pointed to Alexei to carry out the worst possible tasks. "Horse, you can start."

"Let's go 'whisper twinkle twinkle little star' by Eagle's ear, I'm sure he'll wake up," Alexei snapped, feeling self- conscious all over again. He hadn't sung in _ages! _Not to mention his voice just broke. He probably couldn't sing anymore, and he wasn't about to try in front of Wolf and all the K- Unit members. Hell no! Wolf could steam his face with rage for all _he _cared. Anyway, Wolf was probably doing this with ulterior motives- to pry at Alexei's true identity, and to humiliate Horse as well.

"Perhaps Wolf should go first," suggested Fox. "He's Captain after all."

"That's the best possible idea you have," said Alexei gratefully.

"I agree," Snake said, nodding.

Wolf looked as though he were going to explode. Indeed, he managed to look slightly red under the dim light, which was of course, saying something. "I do not agree," he said simply, as though it would solve everything.

Naturally it didn't.

"You're outvoted, Captain," Fox grinned. "Go on. I promise if you do... we'll do it too," he said, looking to Alexei and Fox. Alexei grimaced, but Snake swallowed and agreed to it.

"That's highly unfair!" burst out Wolf, ever ready to argue, but Alexei cut across him.

"We only have 10 minutes left, Captain. So now- or never."

Wolf spluttered on the verge of speech before inhaling deeply to calm himself. Expectant silence fell, and all three pairs of eyes looked at Wolf with all eagerness, wondering how their Captain would sound like.

Nothing could have braced them for what happened in the next second.

Wolf burst out screaming. Or perhaps, howling. Alexei thought he could hear the words "WAKE UP, WAKE UP ON A SATURDAY NIGHT!" which was ironic, as it _was _a Saturday night- but a few seconds later, the ward doors had burst open, driving all thoughts from their minds. At first, Alexei thought it was the security guards to usher them out, but it was only later when he realized that the priority was not them, but Eagle.

The red light on the screen was beeping and flashing irregularly.

**A/N: Sorry for such a long wait- I was really busy ever since school reopened. I just finished my exams- joy!- so I spared out a few hours to write this chapter. I hope you guys liked it, and thanks so much for all your support in the last chapter, I'm so touched! :D**

**Please tell me what you think! Rating systems are available:**

**'.' for lovely**

**'O' for Okay**

**'X' for terrible **

**':D' for amazing/ awesome!**

**Cheers,  
>Epsilon Scorpii<strong>


	20. Chapter 20: Being A Spy

**¬ Last One Standing ¬  
><strong>_Chapter Twenty:  
>Being a Spy<em>

_DISCLAIMER: I_ own nothing of Anthony Horrowitz's characters. Here's just an ordinary 14 year old girl wishing she does. Hope you enjoy the story!

**Wow, chapter 20! Who knew I'd get this far! :D It's all thanks to all of your wonderful reviews and support, you have no idea how encouraging they have been, and they really kept me going. Many heartfelt thanks to **gobayern, Strangely Penned, O, Ashley Jane, D, Unique Gal, J'aime lire I love reading, .Difficult, Bookdancer, Owltalon, Mr. E, Aestiva, Jellie Smith, Larka the White Wolf, Alpha- Phoenix 28, It's Fun2BCrazy, Kusajishifukutaicho **and** Tinkabella 12895 **for reviewing in the last chapter**.

* * *

><p>Nothing much was said that night.<p>

All of them had been caught red- handed sneaking out of the camp after curfew, and this wasn't even their third warning. They would be lucky to remain in the unit at all. As for Snake and Wolf, who had more than one Gold Star, their positions were more stable, and were less likely to get booted out for these trivial crimes. The most they would get would be getting sent back from Beacon Brecons, eliminated from the top ranking soldiers, and miss the one training session. For the rest of them, things looked more grim.

And the worse thing was, that wasn't even the worst of it. The actual _worst _thing ever to happen that night was of course, Eagle's condition. With his life hanging in the balance between life and death at the moment, the Hospital Ward staff were unsure of what to do with him, except keep him in constant vigilance twenty-four- eight hours round the clock, but as far as what they could achieve, there was as good as no hope left for Eagle to make a full recovery. Doctor Stan had remarked, "He'd be a good vegetable though, better than being a soldier at any rate", which caused Wolf to nearly fly straight at the man's throat, if not for Snake's restraining arm.

"Send him to St. Dominic's," Fox had pleaded quietly with the doctor, after the rest had left, with only Alexei lingering behind. "You said it yourself, he won't be recovering here."

"We can't," the doctor replied, slowly and with exaggerated patience. As though they weren't even talking about someone's life hanging in the balance. "It'll take too much cost to transport him all the way to Dominic's, and we're not sure if he'll survive the journey anyway."

"Can't or won't?" Fox's previous soft voice suddenly became harder, with an edge of steel in it.

The doctor spluttered a bit as Fox nailed him with a fierce glare. It was something more like quiet fury, unlike Wolf's explosive anger, but it was intimidating nevertheless. Alexei slipped out of the doorway quietly, remaining in the semi- darkness of the corridor, wondering what he should do.

"The cost- MI6 won't pay for it," blurted the doctor, before hastily covering it, "What I mean is, the charges are too high- I'm not supposed to say-..."

"I guessed as much," muttered Fox darkly. "Or they would have moved him by now."

"There now, boy, I knew you'd understand," the doctor said, suddenly soothing and fatherly like. Perhaps he had just noticed that he was sharing a dark room with a well- trained and angry soldier with no one else in sight. Alexei wondered if Fox would feel insulted or flattered. After all, the man was already a twenty plus soldier, and the doctor referred him to as 'boy'.

"It doesn't matter anyway," said Fox, suddenly brisk. "MI6 needn't pay for his medical fees. _I _will."

The doctor's eyes widened before he narrowed them. "Don't be foolish, Fox. You have hardly enough money."

"I'm willing to empty my bank saving account," snapped Fox, "and I'm sure the others would willingly do the same. Just make sure you arrange for the St. Dominic's staff to arrive, by emergency helicopter ambulance or anything else that guarentees Eagle's speed and safety as he reaches the hospital. By dawn. Understood?"

Fox's voice sounded threatening. Again, quietly so. Alex had never seen this side of Fox before. The soldier part of his... dare he say it? A sort of friend. Though they could never be. They were on opposite sides; enemies in the same battlefield.

Sometimes, it became harder and harder to remind himself of that fact. It felt as though he had been in K- Unit for such a long time; he'd actually belonged.

In the room, the doctor remained silent for a moment.

"If you're certain about it," he said at last.

Fox nodded, satisfied. "Good," he said, before sweeping past the shorter of the pair, and out into the corridor, where he swiftly grabbed Alexei's shoulder- not too hard- and steered him out of the Hospital Wing.

Out in the fresh air, Fox turned on Alexei, frowning. "You shouldn't have been there," he said.

Alexei shrugged, but said nothing.

"You ought to have left, with Wolf and the others, to explain the situation personally to the Sergeant. I had the excuse of seeing the doctor as I'm still hurt."

Alexei remained silent, but continued to walk, his eyes trained on the ground, watching their feet trample over the leafy green grass.

"Horse?"

No reply.

Fox sighed. "_Alexei."_

Alex's head snapped up. "Don't," he said shortly. "You're not supposed to know that."

Fox smirked. "_Touche. _I knew it'd do the trick. Anyway, it's not like it's the first time."

"Glad you know it," muttered Alexei darkly.

Presently, Fox spoke up again, this time focusing on a more serious topic. "The money issue I spoke of to the doctor just now... I understand if you don't feel much obligated to empty your pockets to help a man who has never shown any kindness to you before. Eagle was probably never civil to you, anyway. I was actually referring to Wolf and Snake-"

"He's in my unit," said Alexei tiredly, cutting Fox off. "Wolf included me into this unit- all of you did. Even though I never much liked Eagle when he was around in our camp, or that I know him any better, I'm honour bound to help."

Fox looked mildly surprised; pleasantly so. "You're actually admitting you're one of us now?"

"I wasn't given much of a choice, was I?" Alexei retorted, but a small, tired smile mirroring Fox's managed to break out on his face. Wolf had dragged him into it. Bodily.

"Speaking of which, we should really find Wolf after speaking to the Sergeant," Fox continued in a lighter tone. "He's probably... upset. And if he starts blaming you for proposing such a stupid idea of waking Eagle, ignore him. He just needs to vent."

"I'm not stupid enough to get mad at him over something like this," said Alexei. "And what do you mean 'we'? _You _go comfort Wolf or anything of that sort. I'll just be useful by staying out of his sight."

"You're one of us now," Fox reminded. "Share the responsibility, won't you?"

"Wolf will probably get mad once he sees me," Alexei retorted. "And you're the psychologist, so you should go."

"Well that's unfair."

"Yes it is fair," insisted Alexei. "I'm not going _near _him. He looked positively livid when the Sergeant came."

"Maybe that's why we'll try to make him feel better!" said Fox, his voice dripping with sarcarsm.

"I'm not a Care Bear. Go comfort Wolf or whatever it is yourself."

They had reached the clearing, where there was a small lake. The river water flowing through it was the same river that connected it to Grove's Lake, where they had their swimming exercises for the past few days. The stars that night were bright, and reflected in the quiet waters of the small lake, it was not unbeautiful. And the thought that K- Unit camp was only metres away gave Alexei a sense of safety, for he could always leap back into his tent long before retrieval came and caught him. There were small bushes littering the bank too, shrubs and flowers, that one could hide and go undetected. Everything was so peaceful...

Suddenly, Alexei jumped.

He wasn't alone. Standing quite close, an arm's reach away, was Wolf, in the semi- shadows, eyes cast upon the river, his expression bitter and hard, standing so stock still that Alexei barely noticed him. Wolf could really be very quiet if he wanted to.

Out of the corner of his eye, Alexei saw a flurry of movement- as Fox swiftly punched Wolf on the shoulder and melted into the darkness, leaving both of them alone.

"Ouch!" Wolf yelped, more of surprise than in pain, Alexei suspected.

Alexei could only stare wide- eyed in disbelief and burning indignance as Wolf's eyes regained their focus and flashed swiftly onto him, fiercely.

Fox was nowhere to be found. He was probably already back in his own tent, smiling at his own foxy cleverness. Prat.

"What was that for?" shouted Wolf. He was probably strained from everything that had happened that night, what if sneaking out of the camp past curfew, getting caught, nearly killing Eagle and having to explain the situation to the Sergeant. Alexei didn't really blame him. Not really. And then-

So much for peace and quietness.

"Um, hello," said Alexei uneasily, shifting his weight onto his other foot, not really looking at the Captain.

"You!" Wolf didn't seem to hear him, his eyes were bulging. "Not only you propose that _idiotic _idea, you left me to explain the situation to the Sergeant all _alone. _Your behaviour is not tolerated!"

"You weren't alone- Snake was there as well," Alexei said before he could stop himself.

"He doesn't count!" snapped Wolf, still angry.

"Well how typical. Of course he doesn't!" muttered Alexei, albeit a little too loud, as Wolf heard him all too well.

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

Alexei mentally winced. "Look, lower your voice will you, you don't want anyone else to hear-"

"Are you trying to give me an order here, Horse? Who is the Captain here? Have you forgotten your position?"

"For goodness' sake," said Alexei exasperatedly, rapidly losing his patience with Wolf. He's known that the Captain would have found plentiful faults with him just to vent or make himself feel better, but Wolf wasn't the only one with a tough day!

"You are of lowest rank in the unit, Horse, the lowest of the lowest of the lowest of the lowest!" Wolf seemed to be losing himself; he seemed very much deranged.

"- of the low," Alexei finished, rolling his eyes.

"Yes, thank you!" glowered Wolf. "Glad we finally cleared that up."

Alexei's hope started to resurface a little when Wolf started shouting again.

"But this is still all your- _bloody- _fault!"

"Look,_" _Alexei began, before Wolf butted in again.

" '_Look here?' _Is that how you address your Captain?"

"I never said 'look here'," began Alexei again.

"LIAR!" Wolf bellowed.

Alexei finally lost it too, rapidly making smithereens of his promise to Fox not to get mad at Wolf. "For the love of nature would you just SHUT UP!"

Somehow, that managed to do the trick. Wolf's mouth hang open, framing unworded insults, yet dumbstruck at Alexei's sudden shout. To Alexei, it felt pretty good to yell, and his recent voice- change had amplified his voice, which made it feel all the more satisfying. Though he suspected not on the receiving end.

"Sorry, I wasn't supposed to shout at you," Alexei said, rather hurriedly, though he didn't much like apologising to Wolf. He had it coming for him, anyway! But hopefully an apology would make Wolf less violent. And Eagle had been really close with Wolf... suddenly, Alexei felt a bit more guilty than before at shouting at his Captain.

"Wasn't supposed to?" Wolf said, his tone disbelieving, his stance and face still suggesting violence, but his voice wasn't as loud as before.

"Yes, wasn't going to, wasn't planning to, wasn't supposed to, promised not to. Yeah. Fox made me come here to supposedly 'comfort' you."

"Great job you did of it," replied Wolf sarcarstically.

"Thanks for stating the obvious," retorted Alexei.

"You're welcome. And what do you mean by for the 'love of nature'?"

Alexei rolled his eyes. Trust Wolf to take notice of something like that. "It was the first word that popped into my head. And you were disrupting the peace and quiet. Your shouting was really loud."

"So was yours! And how dare you shout at me. I thought you accepted me as your Captain! Is this your form of respect you show towards your superiors?" Wolf was starting to get worked up again.

"Well, no, that wasn't very respectful, but since when was I ever respectful to you? It'd stray back to 'AWKWARD' if I behaved respectfully towards you all of a sudden and I'm sure you wouldn't like that. And it felt good to shout a bit, even though it was not nearly as many times as yours," Alexei shot back, pretty eloquently.

"Aha! Now you do admit you are a rude and impertinent imbecile!" Wolf said, jabbing his finger viciously at Alexei's chest.

"The first two adjectives yes, to you, at any rate, but not the last," Alexei retorted.

"Oh yeah?"

"Actually, I do have a rather high opinion of my mental level," he replied smoothly, trying to steer the conversation into a less violent one, where Wolf's voice wouldn't be figuratively speaking screaming for the retrieval team to catch them out of camp boundaries past curfew again. Truthfully speaking, Alexei didn't know where his retorts and comebacks were spouting from. He hadn't bickered with anyone for a very long time. So long he'd almost forgotten how to.

"Who was it who proposed such an idiotic idea such as singing to wake Eagle up?" Wolf's voice had risen all over again.

"Seeing as you weren't bright enough and followed my idea anyway, you don't seem to be much better!"

"Well that's rich!"

"Coming from you?"

"You have no right to address your Captain as such!"

"Your line is getting stale."

"I insist that you treat me with politeness and respect otherwise I shall have you disbanded from the Unit!"

"Fine!" Alexei threw his hands up in the air in frustration. "Thank you _so_ much, Captain for _kindly_ pointing out my mistakes! Thanks for being so incredibly kind and understanding during my entire stay in this unit! Thanks for being so overly concerned about my private matters although sometimes you overstep your boundaries! Thanks for making me feel awkward all the time!"

"Thanks to you too!" bellowed Wolf. "Thanks for proposing such a stupid idea to cure Eagle! Thanks for making his condition worse than it originally was!"

"Thanks for kindly placing all the blame upon me to relive your own shoulders, as you clearly know that you never followed my plan that involved singing, not howling!"

"Thanks for commenting on my vocal skills!"

"Thanks for thanking me for telling the absolute truth!"

"Thanks for coming here and making me feel a whole lot better!"

"Thanks for reminding me how to bicker and continue such a childish argument! Thanks to you, this is the one skill I'll never forget!"

Wolf's face lost all annoyance. All of a sudden. Well, that was alarming. He cocked his head to one sight and raised an eyebrow in Alexei's direction. "Reminding you how to bicker? Really."

"Wel, I haven't bickered with anyone for a long while," said Alexei defensively.

Wolf snorted. "Admit it. You couldn't think of any more retorts. That one was really lousy. I win!"

"Now who sounds like a child?"

Wolf's mouth twitched. "Now who sounds like a boring old man with white hair?"

"My hair is blonde. Not white."

"Excuse me?" Wolf thought he'd misheard.

Alexei froze. Alex Rider's hair may have been blonde and had hazel eyes, but Alexei Gerald had dark hair. And blue eyes. He had been so focused on bickering; he'd somehow let loose himself, forgotten everything; his burdens, his missions. He mentally kicked himself. How could he have let slip something this important in a childish bicker was beyond him.

"Yeah well, I have a few strands of blonde hair, inherited from my mother. Sorry for not informing you of that fact," he sniped back.

Wolf seemed interested. "Really? So you're what, half dark half blonde?" he frowned. "That's weird."

"Yes, it looked pretty weird, so I covered the blonde side with my dark hair by combing- " Alex stopped. "Wait, why am I explaining all this to you?"

"Because you ought to trust your Captain with secrets?" Wolf suggested, a manic gleam in his eye. At least he wasn't angry now. But that thought didn't comfort Alexei one bit.

"Now you look positively scary," Alexei said. "You look fiercer than when you actually try to look fierce."

"You know, Fox once said the exact same thing," Wolf frowned. Alexei suddenly realized that his Captain seemed to care a real lot about looks and appearances, and he had to bite the insides of his cheeks to prevent himself from snorting.

"Perhaps I should work on these expressions more often." Wolf sent Alexei a dark look. "Since they seem to be working less and less."

"Feel free to try me. Work your scary expressions and wonders. Make me snivel and quake and beg forgiveness at your feet in fear. The moon would sooner turn blue."

"You do realize that the moon does actually turn blue. Sometimes."

"Very rare sometimes."

"True. But it still doesn't change the fact that it does happen."

"Then maybe it will, someday. Keep trying," Alexei said sarcarstically, before sitting down by the rocks, and closing his eyes, suddenly feeling tiredness and exhaustion weigh down on him, heavily, draining him.

His near- slip to Wolf had reminded him of his mission. His very heavy burden, he was now close to wishing he never chose to carry. It was somehow, much simpler to be a solider, than a spy. The world of war seemed black and white; kill the opponent, save your own people. The world of epsionage was different. You smiled at everyone, before stabbing others in the back. As a soldier, you could always trust your comrades to cover your backs. As a spy, there was not such a thing as trust.

As Ian Rider had once taught him before, "_To trust is to condemn oneself."_

He hadn't thought it was right, taking that road of thinking, but looking upon his twisted track of a spy before him, he had to admit that Ian Rider's words were true.

He could trust no one. Trust no one, love no one, so you won't have weaknesses in the field. Never trust, and you will survive...

At this thought, a great sense of tiredness weighed down on his mind.

So much had happened since he came here. To think it had only been a month ago. Barely.

Then, a cold chill crept down his spine. Hastily he opened his eyes and checked his watch.

Two weeks left.

He had only a fortnight left, before he would be undertaking the test to become a legitimate spy. A double cover. Spying for SCORPIA as an MI6 spy.

And what would be left then? Nothing. The last spark of the tentative, unsure maybe- relationship with K- Unit would be gone, snuffed out like a candle in the dark. And since when did he actually feel as though he belonged in his unit? Since when had Wolf's frequent insults occur on a daily basis, so much that it was just a frequent banter, a battle of wits, to see who got annoyed first, instead of pure spite and hatred? They couldn't help the jibes; it was the only thing that made them feel as though they were still on familiar ground, after so much had happened between them. After he had helped Wolf cross the bridge, on the first week he was here. After Wolf had decided to accept Alexei back into the unit 'officially' during the campfire, although that didn't really work. After Wolf had somewhat saved Alexei when he fell off the cliff. After Wolf found him, lost and blundering on that night, when it was raining heavily, shaking him out of his daze with those familiar insults after he'd found Ian Rider again. After so many close to civil conversations, after so many awkward moments, after Snake's power play...

Perhaps, they weren't such great enemies after all.

But it would all come down to nothing, wouldn't it? Alexei was the traitor, and the burden of backstabbing his unit members would haunt him forever. His past, his future; what he did, what he was about to do.

"That's what that happens when you try to yell about when your vocal chords aren't used to it yet," observed Wolf, breaking the silence. Although the Captain did look just as tired as Alexei.

"It felt good to shout," Alexei muttered tiredly, and truth to be told, his throat did feel rather raw. "I'm starting to understand why you do it so frequently."

"You're usually very quiet," said Wolf, out of the blue.

Alexei kept his eyes closed. He didn't reply, though his pulse rate did quicken a little, for no apparent reason.

There was a long silence. So long Alexei thought Wolf had left. There was only the night sounds. The singing of the crickets, the rush of the flowing river. Perhaps, an owl, hooting somewhere off, far away in the forest. Then-

"Thanks for bickering with me," a low mutter, somewhere beside him.

Alexei cracked open an eyelid, tired, but curious. Wolf wasn't looking at him, but at the flowing river that rushed with quiet power, into the lake. He was sitting some two metre distance from Alexei, but when their eyes met, he stilled.

"Thanks, too," Alexei said quietly. "It felt good to remember how to bicker... I guess."

Awkward silence fell after that, and Alexei suddenly felt it impossible to go back to sleep. Maybe Fate had something against him.

He didn't like the silence. But as usual, Wolf was the first to break it.

"I think it's better if we stick back to being nasty to each other. Familiar ground," Wolf said, with a hint of finalty behind his tone.

Alexei glanced up this time, catching his Captain's demanding gaze for the second time that night.

"That's what I thought," said Alexei, trying to prevent himself from laughing.

The corners of Wolf's mouth twitched.

"Sweet dreams, Horsie boy," he said. Almost a smile.

And he gave Alexei a huge shove into the cold river.

**A/N: So here's chapter twenty! What do you think of it? I know it isn't as long as the others- this is only about 4,200 words plus plus, but I thought it was a nice note to end on, hence the finishing of chapter 20. AND it's late now, 1.24 a.m. present time, when I just finished typing. **

**Tell me what you think!**

**Please rate if you're lazy or elsewhere preoccupied to review!**

**'.' for lovely**

**'O'for okay**

**'X' for terrible and**

**':D' for awesome!**

**:D:D Cheers!  
>Epsilon Scorpii<strong>


	21. Chapter 21: A Darker Side to the Truth

**¬ Last One Standing ¬  
><strong>_Chapter Twenty- One:  
><em>_A Darker Side to the Truth_

DISCLAIMER: Yes I know, it's been ages since I've written this, and I'm no longer 14. But I still don't own Alex Rider. Maybe I will in another two years?

**I have recently scanned through the past few chapters and have discovered that I am not happy with my previous writing. Surprise! Not. First off as one of my reviewers pointed out- yes, I realized belatedly- it's MI6 not M16. I rectified this mistake soon enough starting from Chapter 5 or 6 but I never corrected said mistake in the first few chapters. Anyway, I've decided that since I've started this story I ought to finish it- abandoning stories is a bad habit!- and thanks to all of your great encouragement and support, I've finally picked up the courage and inspiration to forge on this endeavor. Be prepared! :)**

**This chapter is dedicated to: **_LarkaTheWhiteWolf, Kusajifukutaicho, Silver Rook, gobayern, CoolerThanThouArt, rawr52, Titan16, Reldanfiregirl, Jusnime, MrFist, Jessica, Erika Jane, chibidebba99, InsaneKat, Owltalon, Unique Gal, youngjusticefanatic, ItsFun2BCrazy, AlphaPhoenix28, kitkat, SuperAnonymousPerson, Shadowing, O, (Lots of thanks to: royalfuschia), TurtlesinChains, ThatCharmSpeakingGirl, TantalumCobolt, BiennaBaron, toolazytologin, FreezingTime92, KelAlexshipper4evah. _**Thank you so much for reviewing! :)**

* * *

><p>The rest of the week flew past quickly but not uneventfully for Alex. The only other important thing was that Snake had lost in his fight against the favorite among L- Unit, a tall blonde and muscular soldier by the likely code name of Lion. At least none of them suffered many injuries. Meanwhile, Eagle had already been sent off to St. Dominic's for treatment, and while so far as they had not received further notification, they at least had reason to believe that the second youngest member of K- Unit was not getting any worse.<p>

As Friday morning crept silently into their midst, Alexei was already wide- awake; he'd had a less than fitful sleep last night, dreading the approach of Friday.

Today was his fight with Sergeant Wynter, or more importantly and accurately, Ian Rider. He had a churning feeling in his gut, bubbling resentment welling deep. He didn't want to lose; he couldn't _afford to, _especially to Ian Rider- not that he feared any serious injury coming from the man; it was a battle of pride. He couldn't bear the thought of being humiliated once more, in front of a crowd no less.

But then again, how could he possibly win? He knew what his uncle was capable of perfectly well, and there was the simple matter that no one expected him to emerge victorious.

Anyone with half a brain would know that.

Ian Rider was experienced, well- trained... whereas he was merely on his first training at K- Unit, just passed his fifteenth birthday. His strength was a far outcry from Ian's.

Could his agility surpass Ian's strength? Perhaps that would have worked if Ian's speed was about as fast as Cheetah's.

Nerve jabs, maybe?

No, Ian knew quite a lot of them, as demonstrated when he was younger.

Gah. What did he have on his side?! Youth? But Ian wasn't old, if any Alexei's youth meant he was not as physically strong as his uncle.

Swearing creatively in his head, Alexei grudgingly forced himself out of his tent which he was sharing with Fox and went to the river to wash up.

Over the course of the last few days, both Fox and Wolf had given him plenty of advice, but Wolf's words only seemed to dampen his spirits as his Captain merely gave him tips on how to come out alive with minimal damage. Nothing whatsoever on how to defeat the Sergeant. Fox, who was usually optimistic, didn't seem to have much faith in him winning either.

And truth to be told, Alexei himself did not have high hopes regarding the matter. He had managed to get Fox to teach him quite a few nerve jabs, but those were only the most simple of moves, and Alexei had yet to perform them on an actual person.

He needed to disregard rules, play by them instead to win the game. There were no rules Ian had ever mentioned in this fight, but in every circumstance there was always an unspoken rule, a generally acknowledged sentient, and he had to find that key, bend an unspoken code which may win him a fair advantage...

Surprisingly, the answer came to him quickly enough.

With a small smile, Alexei slipped back into his tent to get what he needed. Just a little tweak of the rules and by a stroke of luck, maybe, he could win this.

* * *

><p>"...as many of you realize, today is the much anticipated fight between me and our youngest Unit member from K- Unit, Horse," Sergeant Wynter began as they assembled once more in the training facility, around three metres away from the fighting ring.<p>

There were many jeers and barely hidden laughter as this was said, but Alexei refused to give Ian the pleasure of being affected by any of it; he stared resolutely back at the Sergeant and did not make a single move.

"As Horse meets me in the fighting ring, today Wolf shall act as our referee," Sergeant Wynter announced to another round of jeers and pointed fingers in Alexei's direction. After that, Sergeant Wynter gave Alexei a signal, and both stepped into the fighting ring, appraising each other.

"It's been a long time," Wynter murmured under his breath to Alexei so that others would not hear.

Alexei gave him a one- shouldered shrug in reply.

And then- "I hope you've improved in the last few years."

Something sparked within Alexei, and raising an eyebrow, he questioned, "Psychological tactics much, Sergeant? Not only you pick on the youngest and most inexperienced unit member to fight with, you resort to such methods. You do realize such acts only hint on insecurity... or perhaps, cowardice."

Sergeant Wynter merely laughed calmly, his eyes sparkling with something akin to genuine mirth, and Alexei felt briefly annoyed at himself... he had just challenged Ian once more, knowing full well the man thrived on them. "You do realize your retort suggests admittance? Perchance you too feel insecure?"

Alexei bit his tongue to prevent himself from replying; he couldn't well beat Ian Rider on _his _turf, not when everyone here seemed in favour of their new Sergeant... and besides, words were never his strong point. 'Just ignore him', he told himself over and over again. He was _not _going to let Sergeant Wynter mess up his head before their fight!

"Fighters at the ready," Wolf announced loudly, standing at the edge of the ring, his gaze flickering uncertainly between Sergeant Wynter and Alexei. "On the count of three. One!"

_Element of surprise. There were no rules in this game._

Screw valiance and nobility, Alexei thought. Wynter- no, Ian Rider would expect him to play fair; Alex never did anything less than that in a fight. But when it came down to pride, he really couldn't care less.

He lacked endurance. He lacked strength, stamina, experience, training. There were only two ways left.

"Two! Thr-"

Wolf's whistle had barely even begun when Alexei had launched his attack, lashing out to the left dastardly fast before retracting slightly, performing a perfect fake feint. Such a move was highly unpopular among fighters, as not only it was extremely difficult to pull off, many precise movements were required in the space of a few seconds, and the opponent had to be extremely experienced and high profiled in martial arts. As such, Alexei managed to pull it off in the span of almost two seconds, which ended with him delivering a blow to Wynter's left shoulder.

The blow wasn't as hard as he would have liked it to be, as Wynter being who he was _still _managed to swerve at the last possible second, and for a moment Alexei feared that he would lose his balance. But in the end both of them faced off each other again, distance closer than they were originally, cries of both units roaring loud in their ears.

Wynter shrugged his shoulder experimentally, and Alexei almost growled at the sight of the smirk- smile on the other's face.

"This game is going better than I expected," Wynter laughed.

The Sergeant struck out with a lethal blow even as the last word left his mouth, but Alexei dodged it neatly; he had seen that one coming. Now it was Alexei's turn to be amused. "Always the old tricks?" he taunted, "You always have the bad habit of attacking while talking."

Wynter shrugged nonchalantly. "It's a distraction that pulls you out of your sub- conscious mind when you answer. Your instincts are generated by your sub- conscious mind, hence your disadvantage. But it seems you are too familiar with this trick?"

Alexei almost froze at Wynter's reply. "Why are you telling me this?" he questioned warily, as they continued to circle each other, oblivious to the cheers and cries outside of the ring.

Wynter only laughed. "I only want you to learn, Alex."

Alexei managed to swear out loud and dive out of the way at the same time Wynter delivered his blow, batting the voice in his mind saying '_he called you Alex'. _He felt red hot anger bubble in him, but fury was just another distraction-

Narrowly avoiding yet another blow, Alexei decided he had had enough. Quick as lightning, he whipped out a knife. It was a gift from SCORPIA, his best throwing knife that rarely ever missed his target. He had to play this well. Not pausing to draw breath, Alexei took brief aim and threw it at Wynter's shoulder, pushing down a small surge of guilt; and as Wynter duck towards the left as he knew and hoped he would, Alexei aimed a lethal twist- kick, pushing in all his strength into the blow.

Wynter landed on his back, breathing heavily, with Alexei on top of him... except that the elder of the pair had somehow managed to snatch up the fallen knife and hold it to Alexei's neck, daring him to move.

There was stunned silence in the background; Wolf had been torn between yelling abort and watching how this interesting turn of events unfolded. Then, Wynter started to laugh as though something very funny had happened, genuine mirth colouring his voice.

"A draw," he rasped as Alexei held out a hand to help him up. That said, he flipped Alexei's knife over and looked at him, smile fading slightly, "Your knife does not have a blade," he said.

Alexei's eyes narrowed as he took it. "I know," he replied simply.

Wynter sighed almost imperceptibly. "Then you are not ready."

"Would you have preferred it if I used a real blade?" Alexei questioned, softly but with a measure of anger behind it.

Wynter shrugged. "It would certainly have impressed me more," he said, and he walked away without another word.

Alexei was left with an empty, hollow feeling he couldn't quite decipher.

* * *

><p>"So," Fox began during lunch break, "I can tell the Sergeant was very impressed."<p>

"Then he's twisted," said Alexei numbly. "Not only I started before the whistle, I carried a knife. And in the end it was a draw. I'm impressed by myself too," he said sarcastically.

"Well, you _did _play the rules," Fox laughed. "Wasn't that what you were planning to do? He never said no weapons allowed, he never even established the validity to call foul play. There were _no _rules at all in the fight; and you came out a draw against the Sergeant himself. It was impressive cunning on your side."

"If you're trying to make me feel better it's not working so drop it," Alexei said bluntly.

Fox raised his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, I just wanted you to stop sulking."

"I'm not sulking," Alexei returned with a tired voice. "I've just... got a lot to think about."

The test for him to qualify as MI6's legitimate spy was only a week away.

xXx

Alexei left the rest of his K- Unit members eating at their table during lunch break and slipped away into the woods, his mind a complete whirl of confusion. He was terribly messed up. Extremely so. He had embarked on this far, long and winding journey and yet a part of him was still unsure where he ought to stand. And a part of him was beginning to fear that his few months' training at SCORPIA had influenced him more than he should.

Before SCORPIA, he definitely would not have chosen to fight Wynter in such a lowly way; holding a knife no less. It had no blade, nevertheless- he felt uncomfortable in engaging himself in a one- to- one combat while carrying a weapon. Ian or Wynter, whichever they were, would approve of course, saying it was cunning; it was a strategy game to him after all. But to Alexei it wasn't; he always had his own rules to abide by, and somehow by this fight he had broken them all.

It made him wonder. Just how much of Alex Rider's personality was left in him? Could SCORPIA change someone so much that they could barely recognize themselves in the end? It was happening all around him, to Ian Rider, to himself.

Then again, he had never truly understood his guardian, so that wasn't much to say.

But still...

"Horse."

Speak of the devil.

Biting down the urge to groan aloud, Alexei returned stiffly, "Sergeant," before moving away as quickly as he came by. But as Wynter's hand closed around his upper arm again, Alexei immediately tensed up, barely restraining himself from wrenching his arm away.

"May I have a word with you," the way the Sergeant phrased it, it wasn't even a question.

"Not today," Alexei hissed through gritted teeth. "Look, I'm extremely messed up right now and I'm in no mood to entertain your- "

"It'll only take a minute," Wynter insisted, and with that he tugged Alexei along with him back to the clearing which led to Grover's Lake. Wynter was moving very fast, and Alexei had to force himself into almost a jog to keep up with the man.

When they had reached the lake, Wynter finally slowed down, turned around and stabbed him with a serious X- ray- ish type of look.

"What do you think you're trying to achieve, being here?" Ian questioned, dropping Wynter's accent for the moment. Perhaps he thought his normal voice would work better on Alexei.

By then, Alexei was so tired of lying that he simply answered truthfully, "I don't know."

"Why did you come?!" Wynter persisted, he sounded almost angry, furious even. "You've always done things with a valid reason, I'm giving you the benefit of doubt here."

"I sought revenge," Alexei replied calmly, looking into Wynter's green eyes, an almost manic smile playing on his lips. "I sought revenge over MI6 for killing my father."

Ian looked at him sharply. "_John Rider? _You came here to avenge your father."

Alex shrugged, "They gave me the perfect reason to blame them, my hellish, miserable existence could be all pinned on Alan Blunt's head; his crime!" here he began to laugh softly, the sound both terrifying and foreign to his own ears. And now that he had started, the misery, depression and above all confusion boiled over; he let the words out, watched as they cut deep. "I don't know what I'm doing Ian. I joined SCORPIA in this fight against MI6. I want them all to _burn," _he hissed, "for what they've done to me."

There was a pause as Ian watched him quietly, as the gleam in his eyes, the sadistic desire faded, and Alexei was left hollow and uncertain. "But when I come here," he said, voice suddenly soft. "I don't think I can-" he broke off into a barely audible sigh, leaning heavily against a tree. "I don't want to continue this anymore. I give up."

"Would you believe me if I told you SCORPIA was not entirely truthful to you either?" Wynter persisted.

"I would, but not because I believed you," Alexei said after a small pause.

Wynter stared at Alexei for a long moment, appraising the boy. "You're terribly lost."

Alexei almost laughed again, the mirthless, hollow sound still echoing in his head. "Tell me about it."

"You're not even coping anymore," Wynter cut cross him ruthlessly. "You're torn between both sides and you don't even know what's your point of staying here. And you are not sleeping properly either, which is getting extremely unhealthy."

"Psychoanalysis," Alexei deadpanned.

Wynter looked at him for a moment, before swiftly adapting Darren Wynter's accent once more, "This is not the reason I asked you to come here," he began. "MI6 has decided to postpone the date for the test for you to become a legitimate spy to a later date... they are suspecting SCORPIA would make a move. Anyhow, SCORPIA has grown impatient. They sent you your orders."

Alexei felt his heart beating faster. "I thought I wasn't to do anything before I became an official spy," he said, trying to keep his voice even.

Wynter shook his head. "It looks like you're never going to be one, Alex," he said softly, so no one could hear. "Three soldier Units have arrived from Wales. More than half of MI6's SAS soldiers will be gathered at a specific spot on this island at the end of this week for an annual meeting. SCORPIA would never miss such a chance."

Alexei's breath hitched in his throat, stunned.

_SCORPIA would never miss such a chance... _

"They want me to kill them," he breathed.

Wynter smiled mirthlessly. "And you'll be the suicide bomber."

There was silence for the moment, where Alexei simply stood there, stock still, his breathing becoming ragged as he dragged one breath and another down his windpipe, the difficulty of breathing mounting.

_Double edged blade._

_We've always had more than one purpose, Alex- it's the way we do things._

_SCORPIA sent their orders..._

_Suicide bomber._

"I suppose I've been a fool," he said finally, softly.

"That's it?!" spat Ian, Ian, not Wynter, his eyes sparkling with unadulterated fury this once; he'd never seen such anger from his uncle before. "Did you never see this coming?! Did you not plan for this eventuality before embarking on such foolishness! You are just going to give up and leave things in such a mess?!"

"I'm giving up," Alexei said, his voice rasped and haggard, "Not because I never considered this option. I did. But I'm giving up because I want to. I suppose in a way you're right, I'm only walking blindly, led by my sub- conscious." A pause. "Perhaps a part of me always wanted to give it up. That darkness grew too strong. It was an excuse to end it all, wasn't it? A perfect cover- up, lying, telling myself it was for the sake of revenge."

"That was not your intention," Ian said fiercely, his voice menacing, desperation lurking in the depths of his eyes, beyond the lies and disguises.

"Try me, tell me just about how much you know me, look into my eyes and say it again," Alexei said, that mirthless smile not fading. "I've been wanting out for a long time Ian, but I never got the chance. I had things to hold on to." Jack was already back in America. Tom, he'd have new friends at Brookland. "You... you can take care of yourself."

Ian made to say something, but footsteps were approaching from the distance. Alexei quickly looked away. "It's unsafe to meet like this," he said in a neutral tone, his emotionless mask falling neatly into place, barely masking his pain. "We could be seen easily. Besides, there's no need anymore."

"_What do you plan to do?!" _Ian growled, his voice more feral than human, fingers suddenly catching out to dig into Alexei's shoulder.

"I suppose this is goodbye then, Ian Rider," Alexei only whispered with a taunting smile.

He lashed out with strength he didn't know he possessed, wrenching himself free- turned tail and fled into the forest, leaving Ian standing at the exact same spot, holding on to thin air.

* * *

><p>Alexei did not return to the camp that night; he didn't think he could face any of them. His fight with Sergeant Wynter had long since fled his mind at the fear, the prospect of his mission.<p>

SCORPIA had the island surrounded, he couldn't escape if he wanted to- but he had no intention of doing so. This was his first mission to prove his loyalties. If he failed, they could easily find someone else to take his place.

He couldn't let it happen. He couldn't let any of them die, not for SCORPIA, not for MI6, not for Ian Rider - but for his own sake. He couldn't, wouldn't- let thousands of innocents die, knowing full well he had a chance to prevent it all from happening. And if his dateline was the end of that week... what else was there for him to hold on to for? He had four more days left. Five, if the meeting was held on Saturday. SCORPIA would doubtless make contact again through the past few days, which meant he might be seeing Wynter again.

And wasn't it ironic, that the first time since he learnt of Ian's survival- today was the first time he'd seen a part of the man he had at some point, recognized, but yet now here he was, fighting to remind and assure himself, he was Wynter- Darren Wynter, not Ian...

Five more days to live, and here he was, stuck at Brecon Beacons. He supposed it could have been worse.

At least... at least SCORPIA had assigned him the role as a suicide bomber. Not anyone else. He could foil that attack then- but at the same time he had to ensure he had stalled the rest of the back-up plans SCORPIA was bound to have. SCORPIA could not succeed.

And as for the SAS soldiers, well, they would learn to upgrade their security to higher standard, if any. It would also be a blow to Alan Blunt's face. It was just as well he would be damaging both SCORPIA and MI6's reputation by a single act; he was loyal to neither but himself. His own rules, his own game. It took him joining two sides to realize what he really stood for; he had always fought for what he believed to be right, for innocence, another deeply ingrained trait he never knew he possessed. While Ian never seemed to care much for right and wrong, somehow, somewhere- perhaps he had implanted more of John Rider's nobility in his late brother's son.

Ian could take care of himself, he knew. He'd move on fine.

And as for K- Unit... they would learn never to trust someone like him ever again.

**A/N: I have recently discovered my liking towards shorter chapters. Clicking the 'next' button brings about a sense of accomplishment does it not? Except for the fact that there is no next chapter yet. Oh well.**

**Reviews please? :P Feedback is crucial for inspiration! Yes, every author understands that riiight?**

**Rating system **

**:D for awesome/amazing**

**O for okay**

**X for terrible.**

**And yes, I admit I started off this story purely for fun, but now I have glimpsed the start of the end. Yes people, this story is almost finishing! Less than 10 chapters to go. :) Do comment?**

**P.S.: If any of you read the Septimus Heap series, I would appreciate in greatly if you took time to read and review my new SH oneshot. It's a Simon Septimus brotherfic if you're interested. :p It's the first fic I've wrote for months! **


	22. Chapter 22: Last Day at Brecon Beacons

**- Last One Standing-  
><strong>_Chapter Twenty- Two:  
><em>_Last Day on Brecon Beacons_

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing of Alex Rider.

_**So sorry for the long delays ever since year end of 2011. I noticed I barely updated this story since 2012, in which I'm dearly sorry to my wonderful, faithful readers. Thank you so much for sticking through with this story even though I know my writing isn't that good. Whether you are still reading or not, I'd like to thank **.3, aoe123, youngjusticefanatic, WinterWildfire, Czlara, ABookWormForLife, AlexRiderandMIHigh4infinity, Colette Hyuga, G, Reldanfire girl, SuperAnonymousPerson, Jessica, midnightyellow, LarkaTheWhiteWolf, IAlwaysBringBackup, Shadowing, Platero, Kalexhipper and Alpha-Phoenix28. **You guys have been my source of inspiration when I, once, admittedly, considered putting this story up for permanent hiatus. :) Thank you so much, this chapter is dedicated to you. I hope you find it enjoyable.**_

* * *

><p>The camp was soon abuzz with the news of the remaining soldier unit's arrivals. Most of the SAS soldiers had arrived by then, and they had pitched up their tents around the south- east forest which was not too far from K- Unit's camp- site. The Commanders and Captains of Team Gold and Silver would be arriving by a Boeing jet from America five days later. After all, they were among the elite. Team Gold and Silver consisted of five soldier units respectively, each hand- picked from the ranks and had won Medals and awards of their own. They were also, unsurprisingly, among the few that managed to hold their ground against SCORPIA's mass attack earlier that year.<p>

Which, Alexei thought, was most probably the reason why SCORPIA wanted them wiped out.

Without Team Gold and Silver, the SAS soldiers stood an even slimmer chance than they did before, when they'd been forced to order five units to retreat in their previous gun battle. If SCORPIA's bombing mission was a success, more than twenty soldier units would die.

And of course, SCORPIA would then strike while the iron was hot- bringing them to stage two of their plan.

MI6 had initially been in a hurry to get Alexei to pass the test for him to become a legitimate spy, so that they wouldn't have to sneak a teenage spy's missions behind the Prime Minister's back. Indeed, Alan Blunt had been more than eager for him to undertake the qualification exams, and had assigned the test to an earlier date. But now, they'd had it postponed. It was no coincidence that SCORPIA had given him orders as a suicide bomber at the same time.

Doubtless MI6 planned to withdraw him out of Brecon Beacons to undertake the mission, he reasoned. SCORPIA had most likely sent a threat to MI6, and now they needed him back in the field. The test could wait for a later date after the emergency had been addressed.

Alexei's guess was proved right later into the day. He had been expected to be summoned to Sergeant Wynter's tent any moment then, and he was very much _not _looking forward to it. His conversation with Ian just now was still burned in the back of his mind, refusing to go away however much he willed it to. He couldn't afford to think like that now, not when everything was at its final stage.

The summon came after dinner. Alexei wanted to ignore it and retire back to his camp site with the rest- there couldn't be much repercussions for disobeying a Sergeant's orders _now, _well, at least not in his case. But then he remembered who he was dealing with, and knowing Ian, the man always had everything played to his tune regardless of the situation. There was no point avoiding him for the remainder of his stay anyway.

It was just... he didn't like the idea of being alone with Ian, not directly after that particular conversation.

With a heavy heart Alexei left the table early, leaving his food practically untouched. He could feel Fox's curiosity and Wolf's demanding questioning gaze on him, but he chose to ignore them both. He would deal with them later.

"Skipping meals again I see," Ian, no- Sergeant Wynter greeted him the moment he set foot into the tent. He really ought to remember to separate the two.

Alexei chose to disregard that comment, opting instead to go straight to the point. "Just give me the orders," he said, not bothering to disguise the resigned tiredness in his voice. He was in no mood for Ian's mind games and double meanings. There was no point keeping up the facade now anyway.

Wynter shrugged and to his surprise, complied. "You're leaving Brecon Beacons tomorrow," he said bluntly, though his eyes still rested on Alexei, his gaze intense as ever. "You'll be reporting back to the Headquarters for further orders, and as far as I can see your mission will begin then." Obviously MI6 was desperately short of time for them to pull him out of his training and throw him in the field again. "Report back here tomorrow after dinner, a helicopter has been arranged to fly you out of SAS training grounds." Wynter paused, his eyes still fixated unnervingly on him. "This will probably be your last night here," he added for good measure.

He'd already seen it coming, but icy chill crept up his spine followed by a sharp pang embedded in his heart. "Of course," he said neutrally, fighting to keep his voice steady. Emotionless. "I'll be here, sir."

Wynter was still studying him, as though hungrily picking up his emotions. Alexei swallowed and turned around to leave, to hell with decorum or respect to officers. It wasn't like Wynter was a real Sergeant anyway. Not for the first time he wondered how on earth Ian could have wormed his way into this position, before remembering SCORPIA. Right.

He was already a step away from the tent flap when Wynter spoke again.

"Just one more time," Wynter said suddenly. "Stay alive."

Alexei felt his throat constrict, tirades of emotions crashing like a wave across him, leaving an overwhelming sense of exhaustion, but maybe, just the faintest bit of regret at how things turned out. What he would've given to be back at their house in Chelsea, and Ian would be nothing more than an overseas bank manager who liked outdoor activities too much for his own good, as Jack put it.

"When... where are you going after this?" he asked finally.

There was something indecipherable that flashed across Wynter's expression for a moment, but it was gone before Alexei could figure out what it was. But then Wynter dropped his accent, and said, "I'll see you again."

Alexei took that as a dismissal. "Till then, sir."

He nodded briefly in the man's direction and left, not looking back.

* * *

><p>Wolf was already waiting outside his tent, pacing up and down when he returned. His Captain immediately stopped in his tracks when Alexei appeared, but he pretended not to notice and tried walking past him, hoping Wolf would be able to read his emotions and let him slide this once. He really wasn't in the mood.<p>

Sadly, he had no such luck.

"Why did the Sergeant summon you?" Wolf asked immediately, placing himself directly in front of the tent flap so that Alexei had no choice but to face him.

Alexei bit back a frustrated sigh. For a moment he considered lying, but then Wolf would find out sooner or later anyway. He would be leaving Brecon Beacons by evening tomorrow; the least he could do was tell them beforehand.

"I'm leaving," he said bluntly, not looking at his Captain. Somehow the words seemed more real when they fell from his lips. "I'm to report to the Sergeant tomorrow evening."

Wolf was immediately struck dumb by this sudden news, so much so he was left momentarily speechless, which was saying something. "You're _leaving?!" _Wolf spluttered incredulously. "Says who?! You can't leave in the middle of training!"

"Says MI6 Headquarters," Alexei replied flatly. In retrospect there was no point hiding the truth- Wolf knew he had connections with MI6 after all; after their first disastrous interview. Gods, that felt like ages ago. He could hardly believe all that insanity started off only weeks prior.

The incredulous expression immediately cleared, to be replaced by eerie calmness. Alexei felt alarm bells going off at the back of his head. He'd known it wouldn't be easy with Wolf but still... he didn't think the man would care that much. He'd wanted him out of K- Unit ever since day one anyway!

"You'll be pulled into the mission field," Wolf stated slowly, but there was an undercurrent of anger in it as well. "Tomorrow."

Alexei shrugged, an appearance of nonchalance, but he was far from calm. The tension building in the air made it impossible anyway. "Probably," he agreed.

"No," said Wolf flatly, and Alexei was taken aback by the harshness in his tone. "No, I won't allow it."

Of everything he'd expected, he hadn't anticipated this. "_You _won't _allow _it?" Alexei repeated incredulously, his unaffected calm facade forgotten. "Did you just hear me correctly? The _Headquarters _summoned me, it isn't something you have any control over, control- freak- Captain tendencies aside."

Wolf was turning a rapid shade of red. "Control freak tendencies?! I bloody well have control over _you _like it or not, you are placed in my unit, and you will do as your Captain says. You will leave when I tell you to, and until then you won't be going anywhere!" His voice had risen at the end of the sentence.

Alexei felt like throwing his hands up in the air in frustration. "You're not making any sense!" he said, anger and annoyance punching through his calm exterior. "Do you think this is something that will be affected by _your _permission?! Besides, you've been wanting me out ever since my first day here on Brecon Beacons, so now that you're getting your wish fulfilled I don't see why you're getting so worked up over it. And if this is about your sense of duty or pride or whatever it is, this has got nothing whatsoever to do with you so you can just _back off _and leave me alone with your conscience clean."

He hated this. He'd been all ready to leave, the least thing he wanted was for his Captain to turn up and make a scene and mess up everything. Worse still, if Fox were to be involved...

"_Nothing whatsoever to do with me?" _Wolf repeated, his tone furious. His voice was so loud Alexei was sure the soldiers in the next camp could hear him too. "I am the Captain of K- Unit and you happen to belong in _my _unit! I'd say I have every right-"

"_Piss off!" _Alexei finally lost it, squashing down the tiny bit of guilt that threatened to surface. He used to have more patience than this, but his stress levels were already rocketing sky high; it was past his fraying point. He needed to end this now, before it attracted more attention- heaven knows what would happen if Snake and Fox decided to join in the argument. "Perhaps you've forgotten the first Code of being a soldier, but the SAS swears allegiance to MI6 before their Captains. _I _swore allegiance to MI6 before _you. _You have ineffectually no right over this, regardless whether you are my Captain or not."

For the second time that night, Wolf was struck into silence. His mouth was still half- open as if he wanted to say something, but no words left his lips as he let Alexei's words washed over him.

A painful twinge of guilt wormed its way to the surface, but Alexei forcefully stamped it down. He knew he'd hit a nerve, but he didn't care. Couldn't even if he wanted to. He hadn't wanted to leave on that note, but it had seemed inevitable...

It wasn't like it was important anyway.

He pushed past Wolf into the tent, trying to ignore the agonizing silence that seemed to stretch from the day Snake had stood up against his Captain until now. Behind him, footsteps were approaching rapidly, but he didn't turn around. Just ducked into the tent flap and sat against the hard floor, willing his rationality to take charge of his unreasonable emotions.

"What happened here?" he heard Fox ask Wolf outside the tent. "Did you two fight again or what?"

There was a heartbeat's silence as they waited, then Wolf said, "Don't bother. He's nothing."

* * *

><p>Alexei watched, unblinking, as the next day dawned.<p>

He'd been staring through the tear in the tent outside ever since yesterday night and he hadn't slept a wink. And judging by the dark circles beneath Wolf's eyes, his Captain hadn't gotten much sleep either.

They got up and prepared for roll call as usual, Alexei purposely dragging his time because he didn't want to face Wolf alone. He didn't even know why the man had reacted that way. Sure, they had their moments, like the times they practised sparring before Alexei went up in his match against Ian, or when Wolf purposely lagged behind to swim beside him and throw insulting remarks to spur him on faster... but aside from that he never really thought of them as a real unit. Maybe he'd spent too long being alone in the world of espionage, but the concept just seemed far too foreign. And besides all that, there was always the knowledge of Eagle unconscious in St. Dominic's hanging over them, and when the topic came up it made Alexei feel like an outsider. Because it was him that had gotten Eagle into the state that he was in the first place.

_Wolf was just upset because he didn't get a say in this, _he reasoned with himself. _He'll be fine sooner or later. Hopefully before evening comes._

Somehow they got through morning exercise and breakfast without any conversation or eye- contact. But the tension in the air was palpable, and more than once Alexei felt Fox's worried glance at him.

Speaking of which, he hadn't yet told Fox that he'd be leaving. He had hoped that Wolf would break the news first... but he supposed Wolf telling it could have made things worse. But a certain fear that it would be a repeat of yesterday made Alexei put it off longer than he should. After all there were mere hours separating them.

"Today will be a test in your field of improvisation," Sergeant Wynter addressed them after lunch. "All the moves I've taught you won't come in any use if you do not learn to apply them in actual field. One member from each of your unit will be the mine trap. The others must locate and dismantle the mine within the allocated time, as you have done on your previous training sessions. Any questions?"

No one said anything. Sergeant Wynter let his gaze travel across of assembled units. "I see L- Unit has one extra member," he said. "Lion, you'll be assigned as the mine trap for K- Unit."

The man scowled deeply, but muttered a sullen "yessir" all the same. Basically, a 'mine- trap' was the member who would be stuck trapped by a mine in a secluded area where his team mates would need to find and rescue him. Obviously the mine isn't a real one, but it would still blast one backwards along with an awful wail of a siren once the allocated time was over and the unit failed to accomplish their mission.

"Right, now all mine- traps to line," Sergeant Wynter called. The other units would be able to pick their own mine- traps. "You will be led to different areas by the retrieval team. The first unit to accomplish the rescue mission wins. Your time starts 15 minutes later."

The men acting as mine- traps were led to different jeeps which were parked around the area. L- Unit who was forced to give up Lion who happened to be their best, and only tracker, glared daggers in K- Unit's direction, but none of them paid the other unit any attention.

Wolf had been silent all throughout the morning, but when it was time for them to move he finally spoke up to issue orders.

"We'll split up in pairs to look for the mine- trap," he said in an emotionless sort of voice, though it didn't escape any of their attention that he was looking everywhere else but at Alexei. "Snake will come with me. Doesn't matter if we take too long anyway, I wouldn't mind if Lion got blown up by the mine."

Alexei could tell Fox wanted to protest, but wisely kept his silence.

"There's no need for communication," Wolf continued in a flat tone. "If you find him, dismantle the mine and report back to the Sergeant. Clear. Move out."

He turned his back and left, Snake following behind looking apprehensive as he shot glances at Alexei.

Alexei sighed. So much for a peaceful last training.

* * *

><p>To Alexei's surprise, Fox's questioning didn't begin after the whistle sounded, nor after they'd left Snake with Wolf and were wading through a waist- high tall grass in the middle of a field. Only tense silence lingered between them. It wasn't half as bad as it had been with Wolf, but still. This was Fox, the man who'd been most like a friend to him at the beginning of their training, and the sudden change in atmosphere that came between them was uncomfortable, to say the least.<p>

"I'm leaving tonight," he said finally as they reached the outskirts of a forest somewhere north of their camp. "And I don't think I'll be coming back."

It was much easier saying it while he wasn't looking directly at the other, he realized. Fox only nodded.

"I heard," he replied, but there was a heaviness in his voice as well. Different to Wolf's explosive anger, but it made Alexei feel the same. Guilt, regret, whatever it was twisting into a knife of dread and loneliness.

"I didn't mean to leave suddenly like that," Alexei blurted, trying to convince himself or Fox he didn't even know himself. "I didn't know it beforehand either... the Headquarters summoned me yesterday, I had no choice but to accept."

"I know," Fox said, offering him a small smile. "Nobody has a choice when it comes down to that. Wolf knows that too. Perhaps that's why he acted the way he did."

Alexei blinked, confused. "Why?"

"Surely I've told you before, Wolf takes his position to heart. He feels responsible for every single member under his unit, and he hates not being in control of things. If one of us goes into battle, he'd take all of us into it. He couldn't do the same for you... perhaps he feels partly responsible for that too."

"But that's ridiculous," Alexei interjected. "We're _soldiers, _he can't expect everything to be in his control! Besides he's always blaming me for giving his unit a bad name, why would he start feeling _responsible _of all things all of a sudden-"

"Exactly," Fox said, and this time he stopped in his tracks to look Alexei in the eye. "We're soldiers, and we're used to being in a unit, working on the same side, fighting the same battle together. His way of thinking may seem unfathomable to you, but I've known him for several years. You've always been used to working individually, watching out for yourself. All I can say is that if he didn't care he wouldn't have acted as he did."

Alexei paused at those words, but something in Fox's expression caught his attention- there was an odd glint in Fox's eyes when he said that, and there was something knowing in his smile that hinted something beyond his words.

_You've always been used to working individually, watching out for yourself._

_We _are soldiers.

_His way of thinking may seem unfathomable to you._

His eyes widened at the implication.

It couldn't be...

He stopped in his tracks and looked the man in the eye.

"You know that I'm a spy," he said slowly, cautiously testing the waters.

Fox's answer was his trademark grin, which widened at Alexei's shocked expression, but there was a hint of sadness too. "Good luck with your mission, Cub."

**A/N: Yes, Fox had guessed all the while. :p Sorry for the slightly angsty moments. Next chapter should be up soon. As you can tell I've had a major writer's block for this story for a long loong time, so I apologise if this chapter isn't up to par. Hopefully I'll get my flare in writing back after this. The end is near people!**

**Rating system:**

**'.' for lovely/ :D for awesome**

**O for okay**

**X for terrible**

**Please drop me a review? Questions/ rates/ anything to inspire me :) preetie please?**

**Cheers,  
>Epsilon Scorpii<strong>


	23. Chapter 23: Back to Espionage

**- Last One Standing-  
><strong>_Chapter Twenty- three:  
>Back to Espionage <em>

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing of Alex Rider.

_**To these wonderful**_** people: **_rosemelia, fanfic1892, FinnickOdairThough, _ABookWormForLife,__3326freespirit, Alpha-Phoenix28,___mobilisinmobili, terfa, aoe123, greeneyedshadowriter, jayleneolebar animato22, AlexRiderandMIHigh4Infinity, G and all guests. **Thank you so much for your reviews and encouragement. You guys certainly spurred my on the write faster haha. Chapter 23 is dedicated to you :)**_

_**P.S.: Cookies to the 400th reviewer! Who would that be? :P**_

* * *

><p>Alexei could only blink at the man, the name buzzing foreign to his ears. What did he say?<p>

_Cub?_

"You called me Cub," he said. A statement. It was something else that Fox had figured out he was a spy... now apparently the man had guessed spot- on his identity as well.

Fox raised an eyebrow. "Would you have preferred Horse?" he said.

"When did you know?" Alexei asked as Fox started to move on again, peering intently as they waded through the tall grass for mines. A horrible thought occurred to him. "You didn't know from the start did you?"

Fox laughed. "Relax, I didn't. Truthfully I only just figured it out a few days ago. I knew you were someone from MI6, and I thought you looked familiar, but I never quite made the connection with your previous identity... we all heard you'd been dead. Then you'd always tense up when Cub was mentioned... things just connected up I guess." Fox paused, wondering if he should continue, "Wolf mentioned you had strange hair, something about being half- blond..."

Alexei felt himself flush even as he resisted the urge to face- palm. Trust Wolf to reveal something like that.

"Wolf had many suspicions too," Fox continued, "said you were too scrawny, and of course your voice break didn't go unnoticed. I guessed your age and put two and two together."

They were quiet for a moment, bizarrely still resuming their walk through the tall grass after that conversation. A conversation that Alexei had dreaded ever happening ever since he was assigned to K- Unit. And after the huge reveal, they just simply... continued on their rescue mission. Well, that went much better than he expected. But still, it felt strange; surreal. He had always expected them to blow up in his face for deceiving them... or something. This just felt a bit anti- climatic, not that he was complaining.

"You're not going to ask me why I'm here?" Alexei said, genuinely confused. "Or why I'm leaving?"

"I hope you would tell me if you could," was Fox's neutral reply.

There was the strange sense of lead weighing him down in his chest again at that answer. Of course. Fox turned around and looked at him, half- expectantly, but Alexei just flashed him a small smile.

"Thanks," he said.

They didn't speak much after that.

* * *

><p>Rumour had it that Wolf was the first to reach his mine- trap.<p>

It was only later that Snake had confirmed the rest of the story to be true; that Wolf had purposely delayed time by sitting right in front of Lion and taunting him with endless insults. In the end Lion took the bait and lost it; he was blown into the air and landed painfully on his back when he tried taking a step forwards to confront Wolf. Snake had been one step too late. (Wolf, being faster, had wandered off on his own.)

Lion received a severe tongue- lashing from the Sergeant and would be punished with a double round of warm- up exercise the next day for fouling up something as simple as a mine- trap. Somehow, Wolf evaded the Sergeant's accusations. Knowing Ian, Alexei wasn't too surprised.

Alexei wasn't quite sure why Wolf had done that, he supposed it was probable that Wolf had always been on edge with Lion (and the fight with Snake had made things worse) but his Captain rarely performed any thing less than his best on training. K- Unit almost never failed any of their training sessions, and Wolf had always been proud of that. Alexei could only guess that Wolf was feeling particularly vicious that day and had lost any qualms he might have had.

Though truthfully, a part of him found it pointless trying to convince himself that it wasn't his fault.

Dinner proved to be the same. Few times Alexei had tried to engage the man in a conversation, but Wolf had brusquely shrugged it all off. He tensed up visibly when Alexei was around, and came up with things to do the moment Alexei opened his mouth to speak. Case example, he dropped the gruel laden and had to bend to pick it up when Alexei was about to tell him to pass the bread, so he didn't hear anything the youngest Unit member had to say.

It proceeded the same way through the rest of the evening.

All throughout the day the heaviness in his chest kept expanding. He kept looking around the forest, catching a glimpse of the Hospital Wing, seeing the forest cavern which was still cordoned off by the retrieval team, looking up to see the wooden bridge Wolf feared and the cliffs where Wolf lost his backpack. All the while knowing it would probably the last he would ever see of it, of them. It made him wonder just how much K- Unit had grown on him, or he was just getting sentimental at the prospect of his mission in five days time. It didn't sound particularly convincing though- he'd been in countless tight spots throughout the past year, and he had been liable to die anyway in his previous four missions. This one wasn't all that different...

Except that it _was. _He always had a goal in mind before, always envisioned the finishing line before he started the race. He knew what he wanted before he played the game. But now, he'd foolishly walked onto the chessboard thinking that he had will and mind of his own, and somewhere along the line, he'd lost sight of the end.

This ending couldn't be perfect; perhaps in another's story, but not his. His was drawing to a close.

He would play by the rules one last time before taking the final plunge.

"It's time for you to go," Fox told him, his tone soft. Dusk had thrown a thin blanket of darkness over them; dinner had been cleared away, and the rest of the soldiers were already dispersing, returning to their respective camp sites.

Alexei nodded tightly, not trusting himself to speak. Fox must have sensed that he wanted to be alone, so he'd just patted him on the back with a murmured good luck.

They hadn't spoke much throughout the day, even though they'd both been paired up for much of the training. It seemed, to Alexei, that the revelation, if any, had only served to draw the line between them even more visibly combined with his departure. It made Alexei feel more than a little regretful. Cub had never been close with Fox... but Horse had. To a certain extent. As for Snake, he'd already told the man... but they weren't that close. The medic had just nodded and accepted it wordlessly.

He turned round to leave, but at the last moment he stopped and lingered by their table.

"Fox," he said, pretending not to notice how strained his voice actually sounded, "how much would you trust me?"

If Fox was surprised by this abrupt question, he didn't show it. "How does one estimate such value?" he mused, vaguely.

"If I drew a mark, would you shoot?" he asked, a note of urgency creeping into his voice without him noticing. It was his last chance, he thought.

Fox's gaze flickered towards him.

"If my Captain allows it, I would," he answered truthfully.

* * *

><p>He returned to their camp for the final time.<p>

He'd already packed his belongings, stuffing his few possessions back into the rucksack he'd brought here. A few plain clothes, a folded map, basic necessities... nothing to remind him of home, or anything. He would be leaving his uniform behind when he left.

There was one item though, but he wouldn't be bringing it either.

When he emerged from his tent to walk towards the appointed place, Wolf just so happened to be leaving his. Their eyes met before Wolf could look away, and before he quite knew what he was going to say, he'd already spoken. "Wait."

There must've been something desperate in his voice, or perhaps it was that Wolf knew that he was going to leave then- his Captain actually stopped. There was an uncomfortable silence as Alexei fidgeted and tried to phrase his thoughts. Somehow, incomprehensibly, the familiarity of the brewing awkwardness between them made him hold back a laugh.

"Still ignoring me?" he said at last, trying to sound light- hearted. "How mature of you."

Wolf pursed his lips and his the familiar fierce glare intensified. "You should be glad that I'm not trying to make your life hell!" he snapped, but it lacked the usual ire behind it.

Alexei nodded, keeping his face straight, but there was a hidden smile in there somewhere. It wasn't a mocking one... just. "Like you haven't been doing that for the entire duration of my stay?" he quipped back, trying to sound nonchalant.

Wolf's face visibly reddened but then he noticed Alexei's rucksack, and for once, he fell silent. Instead, he said "You're leaving anyway."

Alexei rolled his eyes even though he was fighting to keep his mask in place. "State the obvious."

"Towards the end of your service and you've never curbed your flippant tongue," Wolf said in sour disapproval.

"I learnt many things from my Captain."

Normally, Wolf would either be fighting to rein in his temper or have long since exploded. He didn't know why, but Wolf continued to display a series of completely surprising reactions by bristling, before falling silent.

He didn't like the silence. It reminded him too much of what was to be, the glaring comparison of it with what it had been. He wished they could return to throwing their regular insults and pretending everything was normal.

Wolf really had the tendency to make everything awkward, he thought, even by remaining silent.

"I'll be going then," Alexei said at last. There was something that flashed across Wolf's face- it wasn't disappointment, it was a quick disconcerting moment over in a heartbeat, indecipherable and unreadable... it wasn't disappointment. "Thanks for everything, sir."

He supposed he owed it to the man. Life at K- Unit had been more than worth living towards the end, he'd felt a sense of belonging and loyalty which had been completely foreign to him before. And despite everything he said, all their insults and arguments, he held a sense of respect for his Captain.

People said Wolf overrated loyalty, and he himself had no right to it as a spy... but he respected the man for it.

He gave a salute, perhaps obliging for the first time in a private setting to his Captain, and left quickly into the forest, not once looking back.

X

Wolf stared at the empty spot before him, his mind a complete blank.

It wasn't supposed to go like that.

He'd been angry, insulted that MI6 treated _his _unit members as nothing but dispensable pieces, to break when under suspicion, to fling away when broken. As if they were puppets on strings, they had to dance to their various twisted tunes without choice. First it had been Eagle, now it was this.

Then there was the fact but it was a fact then when it came down to it, all his unit members would put MI6 first before everything else despite all the hell they'd broke through and survived. It was selfish, it wasn't logical and he _knew _he was being irrational, but it felt like a stab in the back every single bloody time. And when did anger ever need an explanation anyway?

Alexei had provided the perfect cover, taunting and baiting him for him to lash out, and so he did. What Alexei said was more than insulting, it was demeaning, but it was the truth, and he knew it. Everyone did, even if he wanted to go on his road of denial. But he'd never been one for giving in, and he refused to accept it and ignored the other altogether. Pretended the last few weeks never happened and the boy (because really, that was all he was) was a stranger that was forced into his unit for the time being.

He wasn't even certain why he'd acted the way he did, he'd always been rash and hot- tempered. Acting before thinking nor reasoning. Exploding before making amends later, if it were really necessary.

But he'd forgotten; there was no later though, not in this case.

For all intents and purposes it really_ wasn't_ important, but it still felt like it was, and it irked him.

Alexei however had been the mask of perfect calamity, quipping back smart retorts as if it were any other day on training. Ever eloquent, even though he could tell the boy was terrified at the uncertainty that lay before him.

_He _was supposed to say something. He was the Captain, he was supposed to be the one giving a cool dismissal, or maybe a gruff farewell, or wish him good luck or something like that. He'd wanted to say, 'If you ever come back in one piece, and serve in SAS again, you're automatically in K- Unit whether you like it or not' or 'I won't have you tarnishing another unit's training record, so you're coming back here after all this.' But in the end he'd just stood there. _Dumb. _Silent. Like a solid plank of wood.

If he wasn't born with a silver tongue, he'd been at least born with a razor one, but in the end he hardly even managed to speak. The entire situation was so sudden, despite their never ending tirade of witty comebacks and insults... he hadn't known what to say.

Just watched with increasing disbelief as _his _youngest unit member saluted to him for the first time obligingly, and walked away. There was a hint of finality behind that too, and it made the situation seem even more real.

There was a chopping noise like a helicopter rising into the air, or it could just be his imagination... it didn't matter anyway.

The strange hollow feeling intensified.

For want of something to do, Wolf wrenched open his tent flap and went inside. Perhaps he'd terrorize Riley a bit for the latest update about the forest cavern murder case... or maybe the doctors would have an update on Eagle's condition. Anything to distract him, anything to do for want for a semblance of normality.

He reached into his pocket for his communicator before he froze.

It was still there sitting in his jacket pocket, but his spare communicator... the second device was gone.

He'd left it on the floor beside his bag before he left for dinner, he was certain of it.

And now it was missing. Instead its position had been replaced by a familiar golden compass... the glint of a faded light reflecting off its surface whispering another message.

* * *

><p>There was quite a commotion going on when Alexei arrived at the scene to board the helicopter. Apparently Sergeant Gregor had some 'urgent business' with MI6 and had insisted he be brought back to Liverpool as well.<p>

It wasn't until they received an affirmative from the headquarters ten minutes later that they finally took off.

He'd caught a glimpse of Fox though, who had taken advantage of the arguing officers and slipped through to see him off. There was a familiar grin on his face when he waved at Alexei, and the gesture surprised and cheered him more than it probably should. There were people watching though, so Alexei purposely scratched his head to disguise his wave back when he boarded the copter.

Sergeant Gregor was sitting smugly by the right window when he entered. He gave the man a slight bow before noticing with a mounting sense of unease that there was only one seat left for him. With a great deal of reluctance, Alexei slid into the seat beside Gregor and stared ahead, pretending not to notice the way the man seemed to be sizing him up.

"You're MI6's latest toy?" he said at last, after scrutinizing Alexei for five full uncomfortable minutes.

Alexei gave a cold smile in reply. "It seems like you're the oldest?" he said in a mockingly polite voice, "I take it MI6 doesn't pay you much attention any more."

It had been little more than a shot in the dark; he'd seen the looks of exasperation on the officers' faces and the exchanged looks of incredulous disbelief when they received confirmation from MI6 to let the Sergeant on- board. But it was spot on; Gregor's face immediately grew taut and furious, his face suffused with blood vessels. He was nowhere near as scary as Wolf though.

"It's only a matter of time," the Sergeant said in what he clearly thought was a menacing tone, "before the young and arrogant fall and keel over."

Alexei gave him an answering smirk- smile. "It's only a matter of time before the faded are left behind _broken."_

The man stared at him for a moment, slightly taken- aback at the deadly seriousness in his eyes. Gregor then swallowed back his insults and leaned back against his seat. There wasn't much he could do now; they weren't on training grounds any more, neither was he superior to Alexei. They were both on neutral ground- or worse, Alexei could be more favoured, considering what the young man had implied. MI6 had sent for Alexei after all, not for him. And it was clear from the the other's expression that Alexei knew that as well.

Sergeant Gregor leant back in his seat, fuming internally. It was only a matter of time before the young man would have to pay for his impudence, he thought. He would make sure of that.

The rest of their trip passed in silence.

Beside him, Alexei sank further into his chair. _Bingo._

* * *

><p><strong>Next day; noon<strong>

Alexei had resumed his original identity the moment he set foot in the Royal and General bank.

He'd spent last night transferred from this jet plane to another for 'security reasons', and the remainder of it being thrashed around in his seat due to air turbulence. When they'd finally arrived, he'd been courteously given what he suspected to be a decorated, furnished version of a holding cell to rest, shower and change. There was a plate of sandwiches waiting for him after he'd freshened up, but he had barely managed his second one before he'd already been summoned to the headquarters.

Now his was sitting across the sofa facing Smithers, his contacts discarded, strands of blonde peeking out from his otherwise dark hair. He'd had his briefing with MI6, but it hadn't been anything he wasn't able to figure out himself. They suspected SCORPIA to target Team Gold and Silver as well as a bombing, but they wasn't sure how the operation would be carried out.

Most surprisingly, Sergeant Gregor happened to be working on the same case as he was. He didn't know how on earth the man had managed to convince MI6 to let him undertake this mission as well, especially with the man's greasy flattery- _all attempts wasted on black and white Alan Blunt- _but somehow, by some ominous, horrible streak of luck, they would be working as allies on the same case.

There was much detected activity from SCORPIA at an old factory plant in South Dakota; apparently names like Mikato, Kurst, Major Yu and Miss Rothman herself had visited the plantation recently. It was located East River, a daring move considering Team Gold and Silver were West River. Alexei and Gregor were to infiltrate the plantation and report back on their activities.

He wasn't sure how exactly the bombing would be carried out, but he kept the fact that he was to be the suicide bomber to himself.

MI6 didn't need a reason to know, they couldn't do anything to prevent that. Sergeant Gregor was there as well... and truth to be told he didn't trust that man. The man's oily charm and eagerness only hinted materialism if not fame, and Ian had taught him long ago vanity was not to be trusted. SCORPIA would probably reward Gregor for his services more than MI6 ever could.

If Alexei revealed SCORPIA's plan beforehand, there was ample time for SCORPIA to finish him off first before changing their operation. He had to stay on until the end to foil it, that was the only way.

There was one plus side though- Sergeant Gregor wouldn't be receiving gadgets from Smithers, not like the ones he had anyway. Gregor would be infiltrating as a security guard, so he would get weapons and firearms. A sharp thin blade hidden snugly in the gun holster. Nothing quite as smart as his. Where months before he would have wished for actual weapons and explosives to defend himself, his training with SCORPIA made him think differently. Weapons made you the target. If he really needed one, he could always steal off someone else anyway.

"Anything special you would like to request?" Smithers said after he'd fitted Alexei with his latest bizarre gadgets, his eyes twinkling. A plug- in fish- eye lens camera that which video- feed could be picked up and accessed by the nearest MI6 surveillance. Exploding light bulbs. Things for all sorts of distractions.

Alexei pretended to pause, surveying them with a critical eye, before he looked up.

"Do you still happen to have the ZIT cream?" he asked.

**A/N: Wrote it over the span of these 3 days, a small part every few hours :) hope it's up to par. Thank you so much for bringing this story this far, when I started it off it was only meant for fun and I thought I would end up stuck at 10 chapters before deleting it or something. 400 is a really huge number for me, so thanks a million to you guys :)**

**Depending on chapter length, this story will have around 30 chapters I think, if not less.**

**Rating system**

**:D for awesome**

**O for okay**

**X for terrible**

**One reviewer mentioned that ':D' doesn't quite express an awesome/amazing feel... what would you guys suggest? Feel free to create your own symbol :P**

**Please hit the button below and drop me a thought? **

**Cheers  
>Epsilon Scorpii<strong>


	24. Chapter 24: Infiltration

**- Last One Standing-  
><strong>_Chapter Twenty- four:  
>Infiltration<em>

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing of Alex Rider.

_**To these wonderful**_** people: **_rosemelia, addict, FinnickOdairThough, _ABookWormForLife,__3326freespirit, Alpha-Phoenix28,___ terfa, jayleneolebar animato22, SuperAnonymousPerson, G Czlara, lunarwings, IkeMike, fanfictionqueen and all guests. **Thank you so much for your reviews and encouragement. Again I'm back with apologies for being late... I don't know what to say. You guys have been wonderful and amazing with your continuous support, I'm speechless with gratitude! Chapter 24 is dedicated to you :)**_

* * *

><p><strong>Factory plantation; South Dakota<strong>

He barely had time to change into a suitable outfit- he would be infiltrating the plantation as an electrician's apprentice, or more like errand boy- before he was whisked away to touch up his disguise. The contacts were on again, dark eyes, and his hair dyed brown. He didn't see much of the point though, he would be wearing a cap obscuring most of his features, and he'd been told to walk with his head down to not attract attention. He'd gotten a tan from all his training at SAS though, which was a bonus.

The last person he'd seen before leaving the Royal and General bank was Smithers, who had wished him good luck and told him to return in one piece. As usual. Alexei had smiled mirthlessly at the last bit.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been on board the jet plane, and throughout all the confusing transfers and his bottled up anxiety, he'd completely lost track of time. But when they finally landed by helicopter in East River, it was already dusk, nearing night.

Apparently MI6 had chosen that time for them to blend in, because it was the time in which the workers switched shifts. Alexei had entered the facility after one of the men- presumably a spy for MI6- had appeared at the back- door to escort him inside. Sergeant Gregor had taken a different route to report himself to the security booth.

"Don't talk much, keep your head down and do whatever you're told," the man told Alexei under his breath. He hadn't introduced himself, nor could Alexei see much of his face. "Steer clear of the main facility whenever you hear the executives coming."

By the executives Alexei supposed he meant Miss Rothman and the other SCORPIA members on the director board. He had no desire to come across them anyway... well at least, not yet.

The man led him up a long, narrow corridor until they finally reached a massive steel door. Then he punched in the security code- _note: 14357- _before the doors opened with a pneumatic hiss.

It was scorchingly bright outside. Every corner of the factory seemed to be lit with glaring white fluorescent lamps, and it hurt his eyes even by just looking at them. The factory workers looked exactly the same, like creepy replicas moving quickly in a bizarre, organized pattern. Everyone including himself was dressed in blue uniforms and caps, bar a few whom he assumed to be supervisors who wore red.

He'd been told the factory produced fertiliser; there were lots of crop plantations located East River- and as far as he could see, there wasn't any secret door or passage to indicate they were secretly loading a bomb or something. It was a good thing he was disguised as an errand boy though, because it would give him more of a reason to walk around and explore the facility, and he could get away with the excuse of 'being lost' since he was new. At least, if he wasn't shot dead on the spot for trespassing.

He'd be sharing a room with the man who had led him into the factory, along with two others who had retired from their morning shift. He supposed that would arouse less suspicion- other workers might find him strange if he disappeared for long hours during his resting time. There was nowhere else to leave and take a break from the constant routine; the factory was literally in the middle of nowhere. There were no signs of civilisation in the distance- well, as far as he could see. In any case, he had left most of his gadgets in the staff room, carrying only the ZIT cream and for some reason, the transmitter he'd nicked from Wolf- in his pocket.

Then, a bell sounded.

It wasn't shrill or particularly loud, just like a normal school bell's _ri-ing _but it caught his attention all the same. Almost as if on cue, several workers stopped stopped whatever it was they were doing- he didn't understand half the instruments and massive machines around him- and began to walk in different directions. It broke their normal to- and- fro routine. And what caught Alexei's attention was that, all of them seemed to be leaving- heading for alternate exit routes.

He wouldn't have noticed if he'd been concentrating on a particular person, it was because he was standing on the second- floor balcony concealed behind a pillar looking down. It was only due to his advantageous vintage that he'd caught on the irregular change in pattern- because honestly, everyone looked the same anyway and it was confusing even if he had been paying their actions rapt attention ever since he'd entered. Some of them headed east, some in the opposite direction, and they paused beside different machines to check things up, then they left.

"They're a selected unit," a voice said suddenly beside him. It was the same man who had led him in. This time Alexei caught sight of his name tag pinned on his uniform though- Briar. "It's said they're chosen to work for quality control when they are short of staff. Happens every time there's a bell."

"Where do they go?" he asked in an undertone, pretending to take Briar's clipboard and scan through the list as if it made any sense to him.

Briar paused for a moment, looking around. Already there were a few workers passing by that were shooting them odd looks- Alexei had moved out from the shadows to talk to Briar as if he were receiving orders.

"The machine model is U 14357. Mirror and back after that," Briar said. Then in an undertone he added, "Below ground, left corridor."

Alexei nodded once to the man and left. He couldn't help feeling a little surprised, and pleased, even. He'd never been taken seriously as a spy when he'd been working with other agents on previous missions- take Turner and Troy for example. But it seemed, now that his voice had broken and his face was mostly hidden- the growth spurt helped a lot too- people didn't regard him simply as a child any more. If he had looked like his fourteen year old self, he was certain Briar wouldn't have told him that much.

But that meant his enemies would no longer take him lightly any more, either.

* * *

><p>Alexei headed for the east exit route the moment he left Briar. He'd noticed a man heading slowly but purposefully towards the east route. The man had paused a few moments to check another machine and talked with the supervisor in charge, before he finally left.<p>

Alexei headed for the nearest staircase and descended quickly, though he was careful to not follow too closely. Then he quietly tailed the man down the last flight of steps out of the West Wing. He'd pretended to walk past the doorway when the man punched in the code at the keypad- the glaring white lights made it impossible to stalk the man, so the best thing he could do was hide in plain sight.

He counted for a full ten seconds before deciding it would at last be safe to follow. It was darker outside than it was in, so it made it much easier to conceal himself. Quickly punching in the code as well, Alexei sneaked out of the doors the moment they opened.

It was unnerving how there seemed to be very few surveillance cameras though. Judging by the technology he'd witnessed in the factory, he wouldn't be surprised if there were hundreds of real cameras planted all over the facility which he hadn't noticed.

The moment he slipped out of the steel doors, he felt as if he were momentarily blinded. After the scorching brightness indoors, the dark uninhabited patch of land seemed like a neverending abyss that stretched to the horizon... if there was one. It was all he could do to quietly shuffle his way forwards, trying hard to follow the tell-tale blob of grey that moved every now and then. Seconds later, his night-vision slowly kicked in, allowing him to follow the man in silence.

It was then when he suddenly noticed that the grey figure he was following didn't seem to be the man that had left the factory plant; the height was certainly similar, so was their uniform... but there was something about the man's gait that made him feel uneasy. The figure he'd followed from the main block had seemed like an ordinary factory worker dressed in uniform. He suddenly noticed the quietness of the surroundings. Anyone would have made some noise, at least, while walking on the crunchy gravel and rocks... but the man he was following moved with practised ease, silent as a shadow. There was a fluidity in his movements too, one that he hadn't bothered to notice before.

Also, they were heading farther and farther out of the plant, to the borders of the wilderness...

It was a trap.

His instincts screamed at him to duck and flee immediately, but he didn't dare to make more noise. The man hadn't fired yet - even if the bulge around his waist suggested a gun holster. He wished he could see better, but the moon had disappeared behind the clouds... and frankly it was safer for them both to be in the dark than the light.

He pretended to falter slightly, slowing down his steps. The man kept on walking, not turning around.

He backtracked slowly, heart beating in his mouth. He stuck further into the shadows, back against the wall, and at the precise moment the man reached the end of his tracks, Alexei rounded the corner and doubled back with such speed the world around him was a blur. It was just as well anyway, seeing as there was nothing else but black in his vision.

Behind him, he heard a slight cry, and the crackle of walkie-talkies blaring to life sounded as loud as a pistol clicking in the wide open landscape. He knew that there was a high chance the man - presumably a guard - would not double back to look for him, instead orders would be issued for the guards to round the other corner and trap him.

He had to move fast, find the hidden entrance of where the disappeared factory workers left. It had to be somewhere extremely close to the entrance, or the man he'd following couldn't have disappeared so fast, and he wouldn't have taken the decoy bait. It was ingenious in a way, having the guards stationed to patrol as well as lead a false trail, but not in a way Alexei was in the mood to appreciate. Not at that moment.

He broke into a full-out sprint, feet crunching across sharp rocks and sand. Adrenaline was coursed through him with every corner he rounded, as if expecting the security team to pounce on him any minute.

A red siren lit up, flashing in the darkness. It wasn't beeping yet, which was a good sign - it was a suspected intrusion, but the alarm was yet to be raised._  
><em>

But where was the entrance to the room?! Where had the man left to? It must have been somewhere near the factory. Perhaps inside the factory, but unseen... another chamber - underground.

A trapdoor?

No... the ground was made of gravel and tarmac... it would be too cumbersome to disguise the entrance every time someone entered. It must have been built into the walls. The door was hidden in the walls.

By a streak of luck, the flashing red light of the siren illuminated a barely visible crack in the white cement. Impatiently he dug his fingers into it, desperate enough to pry it open - but his fingers only met thin air. It was a hologram.

Part of his mind admired the technology behind it while the dominant part of his brain tugged on the words Briar said. U 14357... _check and mirror..._

He could hear footsteps heading his way, not one but many. There was hidden speaker in the fist-sized hole in the wall, where the projection had fizzled out upon contact of his finger.

"75341 U!" he said into the speaker.

Something whirred in the background, and the projection fizzled out - there was a door in the brick wall, just as he expected. Round the corner, the first men of the security team arrived.

He thought he heard one of them say something, but before they could manage more than 3 syllables, he'd already grasped the handle, ducked in and slammed the door behind.

He was leaning heavily against the white cement on the other side, trying to catch his breath, when someone approached him, eyeing him strangely as he did.

"Control room requires help, errand boy," the man told him in clipped tones. "See to it immediately."

Alexei looked up, thanking his lucky stars as he nodded. "Yes sir."

* * *

><p>On first glance the control room looked similar to the interior of the factory plant. There were machines arranged neatly against the side and one huge tube rising from the middle to merge with the ceiling. There was a network of pipes too running on the ceilings, and there was a general buzz of machinery in the room. The heart of the control panel was sealed off from access at the other end; it required a special identity card for entry.<p>

"Finally!" a voice snapped, and Alexei saw a man heading towards him, beckoning impatiently. "We're running out of time, there's not a second to laze boy! _Follow!"_

Alexei nodded mutely and trailed behind. He could hear another man holler after them, "Give him here after he's finished below, I'm short of workers!"

The man ignored him.

Their journey took them to the far end of the room past the control panel to another corridor. Upon reaching the door at the end, the man punched in a code - in which Alexei took careful note - and let them both into a brighter room. Two guards were standing outside, but when they asked for identification the man lost his patience completely. "For heaven's sake stop obstructing the mission! Or do you want _them _to know it's your fault that the job wasn't completed on time?!"

" - there was a suspected intrusion - " the guard began, but the man was having none of it.

"For all you know the figure you caught on screen could really have been a worker," he said, and he shoved his identification card in the guard's face before pushing past them. "Security checks at every single corner, honestly."

Out of the corner of his eye, Alexei saw the second guard reach discreetly for his holster, but the one that had conversed with them shook his head. "Let them through," he said.

Suddenly Alexei couldn't be more thankful for his disguise.

They climbed down another trapdoor - which required another pass code - before they finally arrived. And when they did, it wasn't hard to guess what the secrecy and work was all about.

MI6 had been wrong all along; Gregor said his team had found a remote-controlled bomb planted in the heart of Brecon Beacons... and they were currently scanning the grounds for another - but it had only been a decoy.

They were building a bomb.

It sat silver and gleaming in the middle of the room, not massively big, but it would be enough to do the job - after all, their target was hundreds of soldiers who were gathered, packed in an area. It was the perfect opportunity.

And a voice whispered in his mind, _K-Unit would be there too._

But when would it be detonated? And wasn't _he _supposed to be the suicide bomber? Was this going to be strapped to him or something?

"Go down below and help Andy," he said, indicating where a man who was lying on the floor, his coat blackened and discarded. Half of him was under the main body, and he was visibly struggling as he attempted to screw something inches from his face.

"Get a move on guys," the man who'd lead Alexei in, called. "We're fixing it on the plane tonight."

Fixing it on the plane? What exactly was the operation about?

He wanted to tell MI6 that the ground bomb was a decoy, but a part of him hesitated. What if SCORPIA was toying with them, and _this _was a back-up?

"Why are we on such a tight schedule?" Alexei braved himself to ask the man who had crawled out from beneath the half-built bomb thankfully.

The man raised an eyebrow and looked at him, but before Alexei could backtrack he gave a short bark of laughter. "I would've thought the training would've gotten into ya," he said with a wry smile. "Ask no questions if you wan' ta keep your head. But I suppose young urns nevr' listen do they?"

Alexei shrugged, feigning nonchalance as he leaned down to tighten the loose screw on what looked like a black box. "Can't blame one for being curious."

"They left it to the last minute, only started work after the last inspection from the army camp," he said. "The SAS are stupid enough to think we can't manage loading a bomb within one night... well we'll prove 'em wrong, won't we?" he laughed. "Now give a hand here boy."

Obediently Alexei set to work, though he was careful to progress slower than he normally could. He had to make sure he memorized each component right.

And perhaps working under Andy, who was glad to answer his questions (though he had to tread carefully) - was his best luck that night.

* * *

><p><strong>Brecon Beacons<strong>

It was only when he was standing in the clearing facing his members for roll-call did he remember what had happened.

The moment he cracked open his eyes at dawn, Wolf had felt distinctly more irritated and moody compared to usual, but he had only attributed it to his lack of sleep. Now that he was facing the two remaining members of his unit, he suddenly felt his annoyance increase tenfold. No, it wasn't bitterness. He was just a little more than miffed that his unit member had been pulled out of his unit, with no warning whatsoever, on a mission - and wouldn't be coming back ever again, despite not having even completed a single training session!

"Fox!" he growled, to no one in particular, his voice harsh.

Fox and Snake exchanged glances and almost simultaneously grimaced. "Sir yes sir," they droused.

"I never asked you yet, Snake!" Wolf snapped. It was evident that Snake was fighting the urge to roll his eyes.

"Sorry sir," he muttered. Honestly, Wolf was acting as if the world was tilting off its axis or something. Sure, Alexei leaving had been a blow to K-Unit, but what choice did they have?

"Call!" Wolf snapped all over again. "Snake!"

Snake grasped at the remaining stores of his patience and inhaled deeply. "Yes sir." It was clear by his tone that he was merely humoring Wolf.

Wolf stood there a moment, wondering if he was missing something, before moving on. He'd never been in a unit with only _three _soldiers. They always had at the very least four. What kind of unit was this? They looked like three backpackers camping in the forest.

The day progressed in a similar manner; Wolf was too snappy to approach, so Fox and Snake left him to cool. It was somewhat manageable during their training, because at least Sergeant Wynter assigned them things to do individually - and Wolf could vent his anger as much as he liked as long as they were not in the vicinity - but the atmosphere became tense and fragile whenever meals came. Breakfast had been a pain, but lunch - combined with the sweltering heat that managed to sour Wolf's temper further - was downright awful. For an outsider Wolf was like bomb radiating danger vibes, but as Fox and Snake had known him for a long time, all they felt was a tad apprehensive and a whole lot of annoyance.

All in all it had been a tiring, unpleasant day before they sat down before their tables for dinner. As usual the bread was passed around the tables, and Wolf looked as if he was ready to bite the hand off D- Unit's youngest member when the younger soldier passed them their portion.

When Wolf snapped at Snake to eat quietly because the tinkering of his spoon was 'worse than the buzzing of ten mosquitoes' the soldier finally snapped.

"Honestly there's no pleasing you sometimes," he retorted, "when Alexei was around you acted like a prickly bomb and complained ceaselessly, but now that he's gone you act worse."

"Well prickly's my nature," Wolf snapped back, "And you better learn to get along with it!"

"We _have," _Fox chimed in, a mixture of amusement and exasperation in his voice. " But don't worry Wolf, we're used to humouring our Captain."

"_Humouring _me?!" Wolf repeated, as if for a loss of words.

"You never hold in your anger properly, you always need to vent," Snake supplied, rather helpfully "so we automatically become your punch-bag... figuratively, of course."

"You'd better hope it is!" Wolf said, his eyes narrowing. It was the most he'd said for the whole day, barking orders and insults aside. Not that he was being very polite at the moment. At least it was considered somewhat civil by Wolf's standards. But then he fell silent again, and continued on with his meal.

Wolf wasn't just bitter, Fox realized; he was actually worried. His captain had always been excessively edgy when he was.

"Wolf..." he began in an undertone, "you don't actually know something we don't... do you?"

It was as he expected, Wolf looked up and met his eyes, surprised, before glancing away quickly. It was flittered with a thousand thoughts and emotions Fox didn't deign to specify, but the main chord that struck him was fear.

Wolf looked away, feigning calm and nonchalance, but before Fox could persist his Captain's eyes flashed over to his right and back, so fast he barely caught it. Beside him Snake added in a low voice, "9 o' clock Wynter."

Fox obliged by falling silent, but inwardly he felt uncertain. Why was Wolf so wary of the Sergeant? From what he knew, it seemed like Alexei and Wynter had known each other... the Sergeant would probably know more about the mission Alexei was pulled into more than any of them anyway. The Sergeant stopped by the next two tables and spoke something to their captains before nodding to Wolf and leaving.

But Wolf had gotten up from the table too, and with one cursory glance he nodded slightly at his two unit members and jerked his head. "Back to camp," he said loudly for the benefit of others.

The journey back was occupied with half-formed suspicions and thoughts. Snake frowned as Wolf trampled over grass and bushes in their short-cut back to their tents, creating more noise and destruction that necessary. They passed by the forest cavern though, and when they did Snake's eyes became haunted and he turned away, walking faster to pull up with Wolf. Fox suspected that the man feared that he would say something.

It wasn't until they were in Wolf's tent again that their Captain spoke at all. It gave Fox a sense of deja vu, as if they were back to that night with Alexei discussing how to break into the Hospital Wing and stimulate Eagle.

"I don't think Horse just left for good," Wolf began. His fist kept knocking against the hard ground sub-consciously. "I know they said he went on a mission... but the mission itself is related to here, Brecon Beacons. Somehow."

Snake raised an eyebrow. "Horse is a spy isn't he? This is a soldier camp, not an espionage field."

Wolf gritted his teeth, as if battling with himself. "I have - kind of - sworn not to tell this," he said carefully, pinning Snake and Fox with an intense stare, "so I'll be revealing only a little more than what is really -"

"Yes yes and we swear we won't tell," Fox said rather impatiently. "What do you mean by Horse's mission is in an SAS soldier camp?"

"Team Gold and Silver are arriving tomorrow," Wolf cut across him, eyes darting around the tent as if scanning for any possible surveillance tool. He ignored the surprised looks and Fox and Snake's faces. "Yes, you're not supposed to know that, but they're not just here for invigilating... MI6 called a meeting. Evaluation tests."

"I supposed this would concern us if we were aiming to enter Gold and Silver's ranks," Snake remarked.

"That's not the point," Wolf snapped. "MI6 suspects there will a bombing by a criminal organization, and they found a remote-controlled one hidden _directly beneath _the targeted area!"

He stopped, as two alarmed faces stared back at him.

"They found - ?" Fox began.

"Surprisingly someone from the retrieval unit found it," Wolf said, drumming his fingers against the ground. "It was all covered up - I only happened to be informed because I was nearby and went to see the commotion. I heard it was Riley's team though."

"Sergeant Gregor's dog," Fox mused. "And Gregor left with Horse on the plane."

"They're searching the grounds as we speak," Wolf continued, "they've cordoned off 3 areas. The meeting area has been moved up north, beside the river."

"They are certain the bomb will be on land?" Fox asked.

"All the clues certainly indicate they will be," Wolf said, a shadow falling across his face - "but Horse left us another link. He took my second communicator and left behind his compass in place of it. Why bother if he wasn't planning on coming back? The only reason he took it is to send messages to my communicator, and it only functions within a certain radius. Certainly not if he's really back at the headquarters in London. What's more, I saw him conversing with Sergeant Wynter more than once... yesterday, Wynter was the one that told him first he would need to leave. Wynter knows Horse's mission, I'm sure of it."

"What are you saying?" Snake asked, his voice tense. "You mean Horse's mission is to stop the bombing?"

"And he took the communicator... which means the bomb might not be planted on the ground at all," Fox realized. "Of course, it all fits - he was working as an undercover spy in SCORPIA all along - he must've known that the bomb wouldn't simply be planted on ground... he needed the communicator to tell Wolf where its location when its... flown in." The bomb was loaded on the plane, it had to be.

"Fox," Wolf said, looking at him strangely, "I never mentioned SCORPIA."

Snake looked tense too, his eyes darting between them both. But Fox allowed a smile, looking at them both.

"SCORPIA supposedly killed a boy named Alex Rider, a.k.a Cub almost a year ago, surely you remember? But they didn't, they kept him instead - "

Wolf's eyes widened as if he were coming down with some sort of seizure. Then he swore, loudly and repetitively until Fox was certain someone would overhear him. Snake just slumped against the tent, looking stunned.

"Bloody - _of course - _how could I have not bloody noticed!" Wolf half-raged, face suffused with blood vessels. "It was _so obvious - _even being half-blond fits!"

"There's something else though," Fox said, trying to continue the discussion, but Wolf was beyond listening.

"I'll wring his scrawny neck when he comes back!" he declared loudly, his voice angry.

"You can't do that when it was his _job _to remain undercover," Snake retorted. "Damn that kid was a natural... even I never realized."

"I was so close to discovering it!" Wolf moaned. "I thought - I guessed his age, I guessed the connection to Alex Rider, but I never - " he trailed off. "He's going to be _extremely sorry _for lying to my face, I'll show him - "

" - _if _he ever returns at all, Wolf," Fox cut across him, the smile fading from his voice.

"Those who play with fire get burned," Snake said mirthlessly, his voice quiet. Fox was suddenly reminded that Snake had been an undercover agent before... had he had dealings with SCORPIA?

As if confirming his thoughts, Snake spoke, "I know how they deal things, it's etched into me. Regardless of your value, they sting... and the moment they do, you die."

* * *

><p>Thousands of miles away, metal bars strapped Alexei in place, the timer beating a cold rhythm against his heart, counting down the time he had to live.<p>

"It doesn't matter even if the human bomb missile chickens out," Gregor laughed, ruffling his hair mockingly, "the moment you lose contact with this - " he flicked the robot-like machine with his finger, " - the bomb detonates anyway." He laughed and leaned in closer.

"Julia Rothman sends a message."

**A/N: Yeah... again... I'm apologising. Both for the long wait and for the chapter quality. Sorry, life has been hectic recently. This ought to be the second-last chapter of Last One Standing. Thank you so so so so much to my faithful wonderful reviewers that I don't really deserve, for bringing this story so far. I can still remember starting off this story at 14 with crappy writing, unsure of where it was going to lead... hopefully I've gotten a bit better? Haha.**

**Thank you ever so much for your support, it really means a lot to me. **

**Please rate/review this chapter... anyone still remembers the rating system? :D**

**'.'**

**O**

**or X**

**Thank you, and take care!**

**P.S. : Recently started a new Harry Potter drama fic titled **_The Switch _**centering on friendship between Harry and Draco. Would greatly appreciate it if you guys checked it out :P **


End file.
